The year 2020, marked by the Covid-19 crisis and its economic and social consequences, saw the number of RSA beneficiaries increase by 7.5%, according to official figures published on Friday.
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As of December 31, 2020, some 2.06 million households were receiving active solidarity income (RSA), i.e. 7.5% more than on December 31, 2019, said DREES, the statistical service of social ministries.
This number increased significantly following the first confinement, "
due to the deterioration of the economic situation
", then less rapidly in October and November.
Then, "
for the first time since the start of the health crisis
," the number of RSA recipients however fell slightly in December, Drees said.
As for households receiving the activity bonus - aid paid by the State to low-income workers - their number has also increased, but more slightly: this bonus was received at the end of December by 4.58 million households (+1.6 % in one year).
+ 4.1% of beneficiaries between August and December
The number of beneficiaries first increased slightly during the first confinement (+ 1.4% between February and May 2020), before decreasing by 3.3% between June and August.
Since then, it has started to rise again (+ 4.1% between August and December) and has returned to, or even exceeded, its pre-crisis level.
However, "
the number of households benefiting from the activity bonus remains considerably lower than what it should have been if the health crisis had not occurred
", observes the Drees, thus emphasizing a low level of the bonus activity reflects difficulties on the job market.
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Finally, the DREES reports a virtual “
stagnation
” in the number of people receiving the allowance for disabled adults (AAH).
They were 1.2 million at the end of December 2020 (+ 1.2% in one year).
"
While the increase in AAH beneficiaries is a trend observed over the long term, their number has been stable since August,
" notes the statistical service.
