Non-western households three times as likely to have a low income

In 1999, 36 percent of non-western households had to get by on a low income.This is three times as high as the percentage of native households in the Netherlands who received a low income. The share of low incomes among non-western households was considerably lower than in 1998 though.

Moroccan households often have a low income

There were around 6.4 million households in the Netherlands in 1999. 441 thousand of these had a main breadwinner with a non-western background. Of these, 36 percent had an income in the low income bracket. This is three times the percentage of native Dutch households. At forty percent the largest share of low incomes was encountered among Moroccan households. For Turkish and Surinamese households 33 and 29 percent respectively had a low income.

One in seven households have long-term low income

Fourteen percent of non-western households had had a low income for at least four years in 1999. Moroccan households (18 percent) were in a less favourable position than Turkish, Surinamese, Antillean and Aruban households in this respect. For native Dutch households the percentage was five.

Share of low income households by background, 1999

Decrease in low incomes among Turks and Moroccans

Compared with 1998 the share of low incomes among non-western households has decreased. For Turkish households it fell by 6.4 percent points, for Moroccans by 5.5 percent points. Among native households the share of low incomes fell by only 0.2 of a percent point.

Share of households with a low income by background, 1998 and 1999

Petra Ament and Hendrika Lautenbach