Social inclusion
Social inclusion is a process that ensures citizens have the opportunities and resources necessary to participate fully in economic, social and cultural life and to enjoy a standard of living and well-being that is considered normal in the society in which they live. It encompasses, but is not restricted to, social integration or better access to the labour market, and also includes equal access to facilities, services and benefits. It is a concept that is now central to the European policy agenda.
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Find the latest content on this topic below.
16 October 2025
29 June 2025
Digitalisation has been on the EU policy agenda since 2000. While great strides have been made in this area over the past two decades, the digital transformation is not yet complete. This report seeks to deepen our understanding of the evolution towards a digital Europe. By applying the lens of convergence, the report assesses the progress of Member States towards the EU’s policy targets, where Member States are growing together and where digital gaps are expanding. It also considers the gaps in the progress of digitalisation between socioeconomic groups and regions.
According to almost all indicators analysed, historically lower-performing Member States have been catching up with the digital leaders. However, at a more granular level, digitalisation of businesses has been uneven and significant inequalities persist between regions and socioeconomic groups. The report shines a light on the role of digitalisation in the EU’s economic convergence and considers the progress in and benefits of digitalisation for the private sector.
The findings show that access is still an issue for vulnerable groups, in particular low-income households, older individuals and those with lower levels of education. Importantly, these are the groups that are more reliant on public services, and they may struggle to access e-government. While progress is being made, some groups remain at risk of being left behind in the digital transition. Considering this, the report highlights a range of policy approaches being deployed across Europe that aim to narrow the digital divide.
25 October 2024
Increasing emphasis on independent living and social inclusion is driving deinstitutionalisation – the shift away from a reliance on residential institutions towards family- and community-based settings for the provision of care and services. The aim is to ensure that people at risk of marginalisation have opportunities to participate fully in society and to exercise their personal rights and freedoms. An institutional culture that gives rise to social isolation and loss of autonomy can be present in any care setting, but it is commonplace in long-stay residential institutions such as children’s homes and nursing homes. Although deinstitutionalisation strategies have been adopted across the EU, shortcomings are apparent. This report presents evidence on changes in the extent of institutional living in the EU over time, as well as information on national deinstitutionalisation strategies and practices. It includes two person-centred case studies that illustrate the benefits of deinstitutionalisation and greater social inclusion and the challenges encountered in efforts towards these goals.
About Social inclusion
Learn more about this topic and its relevance for EU policy making.
Highlights for Social inclusion
This is a selection of the most important outputs for this topic.
28 January 2022
COVID-19 and older people: Impact on their lives, support and care
This report captures the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on the quality of life of older citizens, including the impact on their well-being, finances, employment and social inclusion. It explores the effects on the use of care services and older people’s reliance on other support. The report presents policy measures that have been implemented in EU Member States to support older people along all of the above-mentioned dimensions. These include measures to support independent living and schemes to support the labour market integration of older people or to prevent unemployment, all of which play a role in the quality of life of older citizens.
9 November 2021
Impact of COVID-19 on young people in the EU
Following a long recovery from the economic crisis (2007–2013), young people in the EU proved to be more vulnerable to the effects of the restrictions put in place to slow the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. Young people were more likely than older groups to experience job loss, financial insecurity and mental health problems. They reported reduced life satisfaction and mental well-being associated with the stay-at-home requirements and school closures. While governments responded quickly to the pandemic, most efforts to mitigate the effects of restrictions were temporary measures aimed at preventing job loss and keeping young people in education. This report explores the effects of the pandemic on young people, particularly in terms of their employment, well-being and trust in institutions, and assesses the various policy measures introduced to alleviate these effects.
8 December 2020
Upward convergence in material well-being: Is a COVID-19 setback inevitable?
The EU strives for the upward convergence of its Member States, where their performance improves and gaps between them decrease. Nearly a decade after the Great Recession, the COVID-19 crisis has again put this objective under pressure. This policy brief focuses on convergence in material well-being in Europe. Trends in several indicators largely follow the economic cycle, with upward convergence in good times and downward divergence in bad times. This could mean further divergence and polarisation among Member States as we face a new economic downturn, with the prospect of an uneven pace of recovery across countries when growth returns.
The policy brief presents an overview of policy measures implemented by the EU and Member States to smooth the impact of the COVID-19 crisis. It discusses EU coordination of minimum income schemes as a possible tool to limit deterioration and divergence in the indicators should the economy enter a downturn.
12 March 2020
Addressing household over-indebtedness
The issue of over-indebtedness continues to be a concern, particularly among some population groups and in Member States where recent increases can be observed. This report provides an overview of the main causes, triggers and consequences of household over-indebtedness, including the costs to society. It then examines two policy responses in the EU and Norway: debt advisory services and debt settlement procedures. While the findings show that in the wake of the global financial crisis, such services and procedures have generally become more widely available and accessible, gaps remain. The overall aim of the report is to draw the attention of national and EU-level policymakers to ways to improve policy responses to household over-indebtedness.
19 December 2019
Household composition and well-being
Demographic change, social progress and economic cycles have impacted household composition in Europe. This report provides an overview of household types in the European Union, how they have changed over the period 2007–2017 and how household type relates to outcomes in terms of living conditions and well-being – such as life satisfaction, the feeling of social exclusion and mental well-being. Changes in household structure have a potential impact on demand for public services and social benefits. The report also discusses the policy implications of changing household composition and recent policies responding to the increasing diversity of households. The report underlines the importance of recognition of diverse family forms, of the provision of social support, and of family policy measures complementing income support in reducing inequality of well-being among households.
22 October 2019
Challenges and prospects in the EU: Quality of life and public services
What have been the major developments in quality of life and public services in Europe in recent years, as captured by research into these areas in Eurofound’s work programme for 2017–2020? This flagship publication provides a synthesis of the main findings on several key topics, based, in part, on European Quality of Life Survey data. It maps developments and perceptions regarding the following: trust in institutions and social cohesion; access to and quality of health and care services; the impact of digitalisation on social services; access to services for young people; and measures aimed at integrating refugees. While the report highlights many challenges and emerging issues for public services, it also showcases a number of positive experiences with the involvement of client groups in the design of services and take-up of new technologies.
Experts on Social inclusion
Researchers at Eurofound provide expert insights and can be contacted for questions or media requests.
Hans Dubois
Senior research managerHans Dubois is a senior research manager in the Social Policies unit at Eurofound. His research topics include housing, over-indebtedness, healthcare, long-term care, social benefits, retirement, and quality of life in the local area. Prior to joining Eurofound, he was Assistant Professor at Kozminski University (Warsaw). He completed a PhD in Business Administration and Management at Bocconi University (Milan), after working as a research officer at the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies (Madrid).
All content for Social inclusion
This section provides access to all content that has been published on the topic.
