The number of social minimum beneficiaries started to rise again in 2022, a particularly marked growth with regard to allowances for disabled adults (AAH) and for asylum seekers (ADA), according to the annual overview published Friday by the statistical service of social ministries. After a sharp increase in 2020 due to the Covid crisis and a decline in 2021, the number of beneficiaries increased by 0.4% to reach 4.34 million at the end of 2022, according to this report from the research department, studies, evaluation and statistics (Drees).

In detail, it is the number of AAH beneficiaries which is experiencing “its strongest annual growth in ten years” (3.4%), reaching 1.29 million at the end of 2022. The reasons for this strong growth, in particular AAH1 beneficiaries – people with a disability rate greater than or equal to 80% – “still need to be clarified”, we emphasize at the Drees. The upward trend should also continue, due to the “deconjugalization” of the AAH, a measure long demanded by associations, and which is due to come into force on Sunday.

The number of recipients of asylum seeker allowance (ADA) is also growing strongly (45.3%) to reach a level slightly higher than that of 2019 (115,000). This increase is due to the increase in the number of asylum seekers and displaced Ukrainians, specifies Drees. Concerning the old age minimum, the numbers, which were fairly stable since 2013 before increasing between 2018 and 2023 under the effect of revaluation plans, continue to increase (4.2% in 2022). Conversely, the numbers of active solidarity income (RSA) decreased significantly, by 6.2% in 2021 (a form of “return of the pendulum” after the economic crisis of 2020), then by 2.3%. in 2022, thanks to a more favorable employment situation.

In total, including spouses and dependent children, 6.9 million people were covered by social minimums at the end of 2021, i.e. one in ten people in mainland France and three in ten in overseas departments and regions. (DROM), excluding Mayotte. In 2021, 29.9 billion euros were paid for these social minima, or 1.2% of GDP, a figure down compared to 2020 (-3.1%).