EU Statistics on Income and Living Conditions
EU-SILC is a cross-sectional and longitudinal sample survey, coordinated by Eurostat, based on data from the European Union member states. EU-SILC provides data on income, poverty, social exclusion and living conditions in the European Union. EU-SILC stands for 'European Union Statistics on Income and Living Conditions.' EU-SILC was updated in November 2023. There are two data scopes:
- Cross-sectional data (2004-2022) pertaining to fixed time periods, with variables on income, poverty, social exclusion and living conditions, and
- Longitudinal data (2005-2021) pertaining to individual-level changes over time, usually observed over four years.
Details of the database are on the Eurostat EU-SILC resource page.
Social exclusion and housing-condition observations are collected at household level. Income data is collected at personal level, with some components included in the 'Household' section. Labour, education and health observations only apply to persons aged 16 or older.
EU-SILC was established to provide data on structural indicators of social cohesion (at-risk-of-poverty rate, S80/S20 and gender pay gap) and to provide relevant data for the two 'open methods of coordination' in the field of social inclusion and pensions in Europe.
Database structural changes: Eurostat introduced changes to the structure of EU-SILC from 2022. This is due to the implementation of the New Framework Regulation for EU Sample Surveys. Full details are on this page at the links 'Income and living conditions (europa.eu) metadata file' and 'detailed guidlines of EU-SILC.' See also the EU-SILC resource page.
EU-SILC was updated November 2023. Eurostat periodically issues revisions of earlier waves.
The data dossier is structured as follows:
- EU-SILC Release notes 2023
- Read_me
- Documentation
- Cross-sectional data
- Longitudinal data
Further information about EU-SILC is on this Eurostat resource page.
GESIS (Leibnitz/Mannheim) provides transfer routines from .csv to Stata and SPSS, and tools for identifying EU-SILC variables by type of data, reference period, unit of observation and mode of collection.
As noted above, Eurostat introduced changes to the structure of EU-SILC from December 2022. This is due to the implementation of the New Framework Regulation for EU Sample Surveys. Full details are on this page at the links: 'Income and living conditions (europa.eu) metadata file' and 'Detailed guidlines of EU-SILC.' See also the EU-SILC resource homepage.
EUI members can apply for access to EU-SILC micro data by following the instructions below. The Eurostat application process can take up to two months, due to clearing procedures with EU member state statistical agencies. The EUI is a Eurostat-recognised research entity.
- Complete the Library's Micro Data Registration Form (selecting 'EU-SILC' in the dropdown menu)
- EUI scholars must create an EU Login to apply for Eurostat micro data access
- Special note: Eurostat informs that for EUI members - it is necessary to use a non-institutional (non-EUI) personal email account for the creation of the EU Login and the RPP (Research Project Proposal)
- The EU Logins based on personal email addresses are normally blocked by the Microdata Access Portal. To have these EU Logins validated, write to [email protected] indicating the email account which will be used for the submission of RPP
- (It is not necessary for all members of a research team to create an EU login - only the person submitting the application)
- Before completing the application, consult the Eurostat EU Statistics on Income and Living Conditions resource page for details of EU-SILC variables, reference years and population
- Applications for data access are processed via the online Microdata Access Workflow Tool
- When completing the application, EUI researchers should enter the name of their thesis supervisor as Principal Investigator
- For institutional Contact Person indicate 'Dr. Simone Sacchi'
- Write to [email protected] for (i) the Research Entity ID and (ii) the description of the EUI's secure data infrastructure and protocols
- The names and email contact details of all scholars on the project must be included in the form (researchers, fellows, professors)
- The applicant uses the Microdata Access Workflow Tool to initiate the application procedure. Full instructions are at this link
- Users should read the guidelines on how to ensure anonymity of results in Chapter 6 of the Self-study material for users of microdata
- [After receipt of the application, the Eurostat Technical Unit may provide feedback and/or requests for further information about the project]
- The submitter should monitor their EU Login account for updates regarding the application. (Library staff do not have access to individual EU Login accounts)
- If the application is approved by Eurostat, the applicant should print all documents (application form (RPP) and confidentiality declaration(s))
- The Principal Investigator initials all pages of the application form, and signs and dates the final page
- The institutional Contact Person signs the application ([email protected])
- Separate confidentiality declarations must be signed by (i) the Principal Investigator (ii) the Applicant(s) and (iii) the Contact Person
- The applicant scans the signed documents and uploads to the EU Login account
- Click 'Send' to submit the documents
- When Eurostat approves access to the data, send this to [email protected]
- The Library provides access to the data via restricted server.
Eurostat informs that no person(s) other than those named in the contract can access the data. Breach of contract conditions may lead to the withdrawal of the EUI's research entity recognition, and the potential loss of access to Eurostat micro data by other EUI scholars.
There is no off-campus access to Eurostat micro data.
Short-term visitors to the EUI Library do not have access to Eurostat micro data.
Member State statistical agencies and/or Eurostat reserve the right to decline access to Eurostat micro data.
At the end of the project contract period, Eurostat will contact the P.I. requesting a signed confirmation of destruction of local copies/sub-sets of the data.
Publications based on the data should be reported via this online form.
External visitors to the EUI Library do not have access to this resource.
The GESIS Leibniz Institute for the Social Sciences maintains the Metadata for Official Statistics Support Portal for European micro data. Detailed metadata and documentation for EU-SILC and other micro datasets are available. The service is part of MISSY - the GESIS Microdata Information System - providing support for users of European micro data.
“MISSY pools a broad spectrum of metadata in one centralised resource. This includes information on series, such as access conditions or details on data collection in participating countries, as well as detailed information on variables such as frequencies, filter information or question wordings... Users can choose between systematic accesses via a series, the variable-over-time matrix which lists the availability of variables in table form or a thematically sorted access to all studies. Additionally selected variables can be visualised in a comparison table.”
Data Citation and disclaimer
Researchers must cite the source of EU-SILC data as follows:
"This study/report/paper is based on data from Eurostat, EU Statistics on Income and Living Conditions [reference year(s)]."
The following disclaimer must be added: "The responsibility for all conclusions drawn from the data lies entirely with the author(s)."
Related resources
EU-Labour Force Survey (EU-LFS): Cross-sectional and longitudinal household sample survey. EU-LFS is collated by Eurostat from data provided by the EU member states, three EFTA countries and three EU-candidate countries. The database provides observations on labour market participation and persons outside the labour force.
EUROMOD: Tax-benefit microsimulation model for the European Union developed by the Institute for Social and Economic Research, University of Essex, enabling researchers to calculate and compare the effects of tax and benefit policies on household incomes for EU member states and the UK.
Public use files for EU Statistics on Income and Living Conditions (EU-SILC) and EU Labour Force Survey (EU-LFS) are made available by Eurostat and CROS (Collaboration in Research and Methodology for Official Statistics).
Aggregate data can be downloaded from the Eurostat data portal under Population and Social Conditions.
See also the EUI Library Directory of European Statistical Data Resources.
Data homepage
Contact: [email protected]
Page last updated on 04 July 2024