More than 4 percent socially excluded

More than 4 percent in the Dutch population aged 16 years or older were socially ostracised in 2010. This group rarely participates in social activities, hardly has access to institutions, has poorly developed norms and moral values and also belongs to the materially underprivileged members of society.

Few older people socially excluded

More men than women and approximately 8 percent of young people belong to the group of materially and socially underprivileged. Young people often suffer from material hardship. Only few over-65s score high on the four dimensions of social exclusion.

Social exclusion by gender and age, 2010

Risk of social exclusion higher for divorced people

The risk for divorced people of becoming socially ostracised is one in ten. This group also is often relatively poor and socially inactive. They differ from married and widowed persons, of whom only a small part have social problems.

Ethnic background and level of education important factors

Ethnic background and education are also important factors. Just over 4 percent of native Dutch belong to the social underclass versus 9 percent of people in the Netherlands with a non-western background. Nearly 8 percent of people with only primary education, first stage vocational education (vbo) and first stage secondary general education (mavo) are defined as socially excluded, as against 4 percent of people with secondary education and only 1 percent of university educated.

Social exclusion by marital status, ethnic background and level of education, 2010

Less healthy

Social exclusion is related to poorer health; 80 percent in the entire population in the Netherlands rate their own health as good or very good. Only half of socially excluded (with a score 10 or higher in the graph) rate their own health as (very) good and only one third of people living in complete social isolation (score 12 in the graph).

Perceived health by degree of social exclusion, 2010

Moniek Coumans and Hans Schmeets