Page 98 - ePaper
P. 98
Employment and Social Developments in Europe 2014
Extract 3: Adjusting consumption
Interviews with people having experienced long-term unemployment show that people hit by economic hardship first cut expendi -
ture related to holidays and leisure activities, and this is the case whatever the country.
‘We’ve had no holidays in three or four years, maybe four or five.’
However, in countries most strongly hit by the crisis, restrictions are going much further. Restrictions in food and clothes expenditure
are reported. While in France or Germany, food deprivation is not considered an issue, this is not the case in other Member States,
where some cases of food restriction were reported in other Member States.
‘Well, it was quite tough. I mean myself and my wife might not eat for a day or two just to make sure the kids have food, that
kind of thing. […] We’ve just cut everything back as much as we could. We don’t put the lights on until necessary and the same
with the heating and all that kind of stuff.’ No 73. IE, M, 47 years
Energy bills are also a leverage to limit expenditures, and many individuals reported restrictions in this areas.
‘I get, when it’s really cold, I turn the heat up a little and I immediately turn it off and I wear, woollen jumpers, I wear warm
clothes, blankets, and I watch TV. So, I have no problem.’ No 38. ES, F, 53 years
Lastly, keeping a car means a lot to keep employability and efforts are generally being made to keep a car in the household,
but its use is also strongly limited.
‘It is a change in a way because they were never things we had to worry about, there were never things like, you know, putting
€10 or €5 of petrol in the car. This was something I never did, I just filled it up, you know what I mean. […] you’re conscious of
what journey you’re going to make. My daughter lives in Bray which is the other side of Dublin, so you’re sort of thinking, you
decide to go over to see her you’ve got to pay two tolls and petrol.’ No 68. IE, M 51 years
Extract 4: Pooling resources — family solidarities
The coping strategies during the great recession project illustrates that, despite the cultural differences in perceiving the role of intra-
family financial support, people have sometimes no other choice than relying on family solidarity. Among the seven Member States
investigated during the project, support from family was not perceived to a comparable extend in France or Germany compared to
southern Europe Member States. The norm of autonomy varies. Nevertheless, even in Member States where cultural norms would
tend to strengthen family solidarity, adults relying on their parents report that they do so because they have no other income support.
They also clearly say that they are living with their parents because they have no financial means to live independently.
‘I’m only 62 years old, […] I’m not entitled to anything: neither retirement nor unemployment benefit, not even the Social Integration
Income. I am supposed to live off what?! […] Every morning I have to expect… my mother to give me a euro (that’s the truth!) for a
coffee. Then, when I’m out of cigarettes, I don’t drink the coffee, and I say to my mother… “Mother, I need 2€ to buy something…”’
No 89. PT, F, 62 years
‘They’re struggling now themselves because my mam only works three days a week, so she doesn’t get much money at all, and
my dad’s pay got cut as well, recently, so they really have no money to be going out spare; they’re struggling themselves…. So, they
would really like, they are always at me to get a job but, look, I have been trying my hardest lately and there’s nothing coming up for
me.’ No 65. IE, Woman, 22 years
Extract 5: Impact on health and access to healthcare
People hit by economic shock and unemployment often report deterioration in their health status.
In addition to increased medical needs related to economic adverse circumstances, many interviewees report difficulties in meeting
health-related expenses.
‘I am missing many teeth and I cannot make it. In fact, I have several broken teeth, (...) because doing root canals, that’s worth a lot
of money that I do not possess. And, for me, man, I understand that the mouth is essential for food and for all that but I still have a
few teeth and with those I am still managing.’ No 46. ES, M, 43 years
‘I have cholesterol […] if I take pills... if I take the pill my wife and daughters end up not eating and no, I’d rather stay without it than...
all I have is for them.’ No 44. ES, M, 49 years
This adds up to greater difficulties in accessing healthcare, which might be itself reduced subsequently to cuts in expenditure.
‘There is too much discrimination in the healthcare system. Forget it if you want to go to the dentist. You need a thousand euros for
your teeth. If you need an emergency X-ray, you’ll wait a month and a half. Even if you have very advanced cancer, without money,
you can’t get treatment.’ No 17. EL, F, 51 years,
However, there are large national variations in reporting such difficulties. In France and Germany very few interviewees report dif-
ficulties in paying for health-related expenses, despite many of them mentioning greater needs linked to their economic distress. In
other Member States such as Greece, Spain, Portugal or Romania, the situation is however much more frequent.
96
Extract 3: Adjusting consumption
Interviews with people having experienced long-term unemployment show that people hit by economic hardship first cut expendi -
ture related to holidays and leisure activities, and this is the case whatever the country.
‘We’ve had no holidays in three or four years, maybe four or five.’
However, in countries most strongly hit by the crisis, restrictions are going much further. Restrictions in food and clothes expenditure
are reported. While in France or Germany, food deprivation is not considered an issue, this is not the case in other Member States,
where some cases of food restriction were reported in other Member States.
‘Well, it was quite tough. I mean myself and my wife might not eat for a day or two just to make sure the kids have food, that
kind of thing. […] We’ve just cut everything back as much as we could. We don’t put the lights on until necessary and the same
with the heating and all that kind of stuff.’ No 73. IE, M, 47 years
Energy bills are also a leverage to limit expenditures, and many individuals reported restrictions in this areas.
‘I get, when it’s really cold, I turn the heat up a little and I immediately turn it off and I wear, woollen jumpers, I wear warm
clothes, blankets, and I watch TV. So, I have no problem.’ No 38. ES, F, 53 years
Lastly, keeping a car means a lot to keep employability and efforts are generally being made to keep a car in the household,
but its use is also strongly limited.
‘It is a change in a way because they were never things we had to worry about, there were never things like, you know, putting
€10 or €5 of petrol in the car. This was something I never did, I just filled it up, you know what I mean. […] you’re conscious of
what journey you’re going to make. My daughter lives in Bray which is the other side of Dublin, so you’re sort of thinking, you
decide to go over to see her you’ve got to pay two tolls and petrol.’ No 68. IE, M 51 years
Extract 4: Pooling resources — family solidarities
The coping strategies during the great recession project illustrates that, despite the cultural differences in perceiving the role of intra-
family financial support, people have sometimes no other choice than relying on family solidarity. Among the seven Member States
investigated during the project, support from family was not perceived to a comparable extend in France or Germany compared to
southern Europe Member States. The norm of autonomy varies. Nevertheless, even in Member States where cultural norms would
tend to strengthen family solidarity, adults relying on their parents report that they do so because they have no other income support.
They also clearly say that they are living with their parents because they have no financial means to live independently.
‘I’m only 62 years old, […] I’m not entitled to anything: neither retirement nor unemployment benefit, not even the Social Integration
Income. I am supposed to live off what?! […] Every morning I have to expect… my mother to give me a euro (that’s the truth!) for a
coffee. Then, when I’m out of cigarettes, I don’t drink the coffee, and I say to my mother… “Mother, I need 2€ to buy something…”’
No 89. PT, F, 62 years
‘They’re struggling now themselves because my mam only works three days a week, so she doesn’t get much money at all, and
my dad’s pay got cut as well, recently, so they really have no money to be going out spare; they’re struggling themselves…. So, they
would really like, they are always at me to get a job but, look, I have been trying my hardest lately and there’s nothing coming up for
me.’ No 65. IE, Woman, 22 years
Extract 5: Impact on health and access to healthcare
People hit by economic shock and unemployment often report deterioration in their health status.
In addition to increased medical needs related to economic adverse circumstances, many interviewees report difficulties in meeting
health-related expenses.
‘I am missing many teeth and I cannot make it. In fact, I have several broken teeth, (...) because doing root canals, that’s worth a lot
of money that I do not possess. And, for me, man, I understand that the mouth is essential for food and for all that but I still have a
few teeth and with those I am still managing.’ No 46. ES, M, 43 years
‘I have cholesterol […] if I take pills... if I take the pill my wife and daughters end up not eating and no, I’d rather stay without it than...
all I have is for them.’ No 44. ES, M, 49 years
This adds up to greater difficulties in accessing healthcare, which might be itself reduced subsequently to cuts in expenditure.
‘There is too much discrimination in the healthcare system. Forget it if you want to go to the dentist. You need a thousand euros for
your teeth. If you need an emergency X-ray, you’ll wait a month and a half. Even if you have very advanced cancer, without money,
you can’t get treatment.’ No 17. EL, F, 51 years,
However, there are large national variations in reporting such difficulties. In France and Germany very few interviewees report dif-
ficulties in paying for health-related expenses, despite many of them mentioning greater needs linked to their economic distress. In
other Member States such as Greece, Spain, Portugal or Romania, the situation is however much more frequent.
96
