The number of people identified by the Banque de France as financially fragile remained stable in France in 2022, at 4.1 million, despite the pressure of rising prices on household budgets. The central bank publishes the annual report of the Banking Inclusion Observatory on Monday at 12 pm, complete on the subject, but made public some first figures on the day.
Banks apply a whole series of criteria to identify this population, based in particular on bank incidents: bad checks, overdrafts… The issue of banking inclusion has been a delicate one since the return of inflation in France (measured in 51% over a year). in May, according to INSEE) that compresses the household budget. Last November, the Banque de France announced the establishment of a single telephone number, 3414, in particular to simplify access for this vulnerable public.
Increase in microcredits
The central bank also released a preview on Monday of an increase in microcredit last year, the outstanding balance of which grew by 14% last year to reach 1.95 billion euros. This type of financing for personal or professional purposes is aimed at “people excluded from the traditional banking system due to insufficient income and/or a precarious social situation”, it specifies.
Finally, a series of over-indebtedness files stands out that fell by 7% in 2022 compared to 2021, a figure already published at the beginning of the year and periodically questioned by the unions, which do not consider it exhaustive.
Since its creation in 2013, the observatory has brought together some twenty members of the public sphere, the banking sector and social workers. It is based on the work of a scientific committee, responsible for “identifying the practices of credit institutions in terms of early and predictive detection of financial fragility” and designing an “inclusion dashboard” that allows a better reading of the reported data. .
Source: BFM TV
