Since its launch in 2020, Eurofound's unique Living and Working in the EU e-survey has provided an overview of the ever-changing developments in living and working since the onset of the pandemic, through the recovery measures and during a time of constant change.
Living and Working in the EU e-survey 2025
In its eighth edition of the large-scale Living and Working in the EU online survey, Eurofound continues on from previous rounds to look at subjective and mental well-being, health and access to healthcare, work–life balance and telework, quality of society and trust, housing and financial situation, as well as sociodemographic background and household situation. In addition, this round puts a particular focus on climate and environment, and includes questions about people's experiences of climate impacts, concerns about future risks and preparedness measures undertaken or observed in their local communities.
Since 2020, Eurofound has conducted the e-survey to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on people's living and working conditions across the European Union. From 2022 onwards, the thematic scope of the e-survey has broadened to measure the long-term consequences of the pandemic, the war in Ukraine and the rising cost of living.
Round 8: In collaboration with the European Environment Agency(opens in new tab)This link opens in a new tab, this e-survey round includes a special module on the green transition: behaviours, support for policies and experiences of climate change events.
Launched from 1 April to 4 June 2025
27,200 respondents aged 16+ in the EU27 Member States
E-survey among panellists and advertised on social media
Questionnaire comprised 160 questions, available in 25 languages
Economic strain has increased across all age groups in the past five years, with the highest levels found among middle-aged respondents. Income inequality is exacerbating financial hardship: in 2025, 61% of respondents in low-income households struggled to make ends meet, compared with 9% of those in high-income households.
Housing insecurity is increasing, driven by cost-of-living pressures, and is disproportionately affecting renters in the private rental sector.
Optimism about the future has declined across all age groups and has not recovered since a significant drop in 2022, likely owing to the ongoing geopolitical and economic uncertainty.
Mental well-being remains low: WHO-5 scores have declined since 2020 and more than half of respondents (57%) in 2025 are at risk of depression, indicating potential persistent stress at a societal level.
Preferences for regular telework have increased, with around half of men and women wishing to work from home several times a week. Respondents who would like to telework but cannot report the highest levels of fatigue and work–family conflict.
Respondents aged 35–49 and 50–64 show the lowest trust in institutions and indicate the highest levels of financial difficulty, suggesting a potential link between economic stress and weakening confidence in institutions. Trust in institutions is consistently lower among low-income respondents.
Concern about the environment rises with the number of impacts experienced. The oldest and youngest respondents are both concerned about environmental issues, challenging views that only young people worry about climate change.
19 January 2026
2 October 2025
This section provides further information targeted in particular at researchers.
Methodology
The e-survey methodology is similar for all rounds of the survey.
Eurofound experts
You can contact the following experts for questions on the survey.
Eszter Sándor
Senior research managerEszter Sandor est directeur de recherche principal au sein de l’unité Politiques sociales d’Eurofound. Elle possède une expertise en méthodologie d’enquête et en analyse statistique, a travaillé à la préparation et à la gestion de l’enquête européenne sur la qualité de vie et, plus récemment, de l’enquête en ligne sur la vie, le travail et la COVID-19, et est responsable de la qualité des ensembles de données. Ses domaines de recherche sont le bien-être des jeunes et la qualité de vie dans les ménages et les familles, y compris le bien-être subjectif, l’équilibre travail-vie personnelle et les conditions de vie. Auparavant, elle a travaillé en tant que consultante économique en Écosse, où elle s’est concentrée sur les évaluations d’impact économique, les évaluations et l’analyse des intrants et des sorties. Elle est titulaire d’une maîtrise en économie et relations internationales de l’Université Corvinus de Budapest.
Daphne Ahrendt
Senior research managerDaphne Ahrendt est directrice de recherche principale au sein de l’unité Politiques sociales d’Eurofound. Depuis qu’elle a rejoint Eurofound en 2013, son travail a couvert un large éventail de domaines de politique sociale. À l’heure actuelle, elle coordonne l’activité de gestion et de développement des enquêtes d’Eurofound et dirige la préparation et l’analyse des enquêtes en ligne sur la COVID-19. Daphne a plus de 20 ans d’expérience en tant que chercheuse travaillant sur des enquêtes internationales, ayant précédemment travaillé dans l’unité Eurobaromètre de la Commission européenne et au National Centre for Social Research à Londres où elle a travaillé sur le programme international d’enquêtes sociales. Daphne est titulaire d’une maîtrise en politiques de justice pénale de la London School of Economics et d’une licence en sciences politiques de l’Université d’État de San Francisco.
