EU countries by people in arrears on rent, mortgage or bills

Greece had the highest people in arrears on rent, mortgage or bills of 27 EU countries in 2020, at 36.9%. Czechia had the lowest, at 3%. The median was 7.1% and the figure for the European Union (27) was 8.8%. Source: Eurostat, European Commission.

Highest36.9Greece
Lowest3Czechia
Median7.127 EU countries
European Union (27)8.8History

All EU countries, 2020

Greece: 36.9 %Greece36.9Bulgaria: 23.6 %Bulgaria23.6Cyprus: 15.4 %Cyprus15.4Romania: 14.8 %Romania14.8Ireland: 14.6 %Ireland14.6Croatia: 14.2 %Croatia14.2Spain: 13.5 %Spain13.5Hungary: 11.5 %Hungary11.5Slovenia: 10.3 %Slovenia10.3Finland: 10 %Finland10Latvia: 9.7 %Latvia9.7France: 9.1 %France9.1Denmark: 7.7 %Denmark7.7Lithuania: 7.1 %Lithuania7.1Malta: 7 %Malta7Italy: 6.8 %Italy6.8Slovakia: 6.7 %Slovakia6.7Estonia: 5.7 %Estonia5.7Belgium: 5.6 %Belgium5.6Poland: 5.5 %Poland5.5Portugal: 5.4 %Portugal5.4Austria: 5.3 %Austria5.3Germany: 5.2 %Germany5.2Luxembourg: 4.9 %Luxembourg4.9Sweden: 4.9 %Sweden4.9Netherlands: 3.2 %Netherlands3.2Czechia: 3 %Czechia3
%. Source: Eurostat, Arrears on mortgage or rent, utility bills or hire purchase, total population, all household types and incomes (ilc_mdes05). Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankEU countries2020 (%)Change on 2019
1Greece36.9-4.5 pts
2Bulgaria23.6-5.7 pts
3Cyprus15.4-1.8 pts
4Romania14.8-0.6 pts
5Ireland Series break14.6+2.8 pts
6Croatia14.2-1.5 pts
7Spain13.5+5.4 pts
8Hungary11.5+0.6 pts
9Slovenia10.3-1.9 pts
10Finland10-0.5 pts
11Latvia9.7-0.2 pts
12France Series break9.1+0.7 pts
13Denmark7.7+0.4 pts
14Lithuania7.1-1.1 pts
15Malta7-0.8 pts
16Italy6.8+0.9 pts
17Slovakia6.7-3.5 pts
18Estonia5.7-2.8 pts
19Belgium5.60 pts
20Poland5.5-1.9 pts
21Portugal5.4-0.4 pts
22Austria5.3+1 pts
23Germany Series break5.2+1.5 pts
24Luxembourg Series break4.9n/a
24Sweden4.9+0.1 pts
26Netherlands3.2-0.8 pts
27Czechia3+0.2 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

Share of the population living in households that were behind on paying a mortgage or rent, utility bills or hire purchase instalments in the last 12 months because of financial difficulties (EU-SILC, all household types and incomes).

EU statistics on income and living conditions (EU-SILC). The reference year is the survey year. Self-reported by households; a share of people, not of households.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the EU countries are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

Eurostat. Arrears on mortgage or rent, utility bills or hire purchase, total population, all household types and incomes (ilc_mdes05). https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/ilc_mdes05/default/table. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

Eurostat, European Commission. (2026). Arrears on mortgage or rent, utility bills or hire purchase, total population, all household types and incomes (ilc_mdes05) (EU countries by people in arrears on rent, mortgage or bills, 2020) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/ilc_mdes05/default/table

MLA 9

Arrears on mortgage or rent, utility bills or hire purchase, total population, all household types and incomes (ilc_mdes05), EU countries by people in arrears on rent, mortgage or bills, 2020. Eurostat, European Commission, 17 Sept. 2026, https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/ilc_mdes05/default/table. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/arrears-on-bills/eu-countries?period=2020. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

Eurostat, European Commission. 2026. Arrears on mortgage or rent, utility bills or hire purchase, total population, all household types and incomes (ilc_mdes05). EU countries by people in arrears on rent, mortgage or bills, 2020. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/ilc_mdes05/default/table. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/arrears-on-bills/eu-countries?period=2020.

Harvard

Eurostat, European Commission (2026) Arrears on mortgage or rent, utility bills or hire purchase, total population, all household types and incomes (ilc_mdes05), EU countries by people in arrears on rent, mortgage or bills, 2020 [Dataset]. Available at: https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/ilc_mdes05/default/table, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/arrears-on-bills/eu-countries?period=2020 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{eurostat_eu_countries_by_people_2020,
  author = {{Eurostat, European Commission}},
  title = {{Arrears on mortgage or rent, utility bills or hire purchase, total population, all household types and incomes (ilc\_mdes05): EU countries by people in arrears on rent, mortgage or bills, 2020}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/ilc_mdes05/default/table},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/arrears-on-bills/eu-countries?period=2020. Publisher attribution: Eurostat. Arrears on mortgage or rent, utility bills or hire purchase, total population, all household types and incomes (ilc\_mdes05). https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/ilc\_mdes05/default/table. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - Eurostat, European Commission
TI  - Arrears on mortgage or rent, utility bills or hire purchase, total population, all household types and incomes (ilc_mdes05): EU countries by people in arrears on rent, mortgage or bills, 2020
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/09/17
PB  - Eurostat, European Commission
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/ilc_mdes05/default/table
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/arrears-on-bills/eu-countries?period=2020
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/arrears-on-bills/eu-countries?period=2020.
N1  - Publisher attribution: Eurostat. Arrears on mortgage or rent, utility bills or hire purchase, total population, all household types and incomes (ilc_mdes05). https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/ilc_mdes05/default/table. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  - 
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Questions

Which EU country has the highest people in arrears on rent, mortgage or bills?

Greece, with 36.9% in 2020, according to Eurostat, European Commission.

Which EU country has the lowest people in arrears on rent, mortgage or bills?

Czechia, with 3% in 2020.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: Eurostat, European Commission, Arrears on mortgage or rent, utility bills or hire purchase, total population, all household types and incomes (ilc_mdes05). Retrieved 2026-10-12.

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