“The Devastating Impact of Inflation on Living Conditions: A Review and Analysis of Spain’s Socioeconomic Context Amid COVID-19”

Review

It is a diagnosis without palliatives. Many individuals and families who were still dragging the burdens of the Great Recession without receiving the trickle of the economic recovery of the following years, were stuffed
by the blow of the crisis associated with the pandemic without being able to barely cushion its effects. The shock wave of the social and economic consequences of COVID-19 has been devastating for many
of them.

While the pandemic has not yet ended, we still do not have clear prospects for how long it will continue to weigh on the world economy, since a new crisis has been added, this time of
inflationary type, derived mainly from the war in Ukraine which, once again, brings with it serious repercussions in the levels of precariousness of families.

Undoubtedly, society as a whole is affected by the rising cost of living, which represents a new setback for many companies and households in our country.

For several months, everyone in Spain has been observing the trend: receipts are increasing and it is becoming more and more difficult to fill the fridge. In June, inflation continued to accelerate reaching maximums not seen in 37 years and amounting to 10.2%. For its part, the European Commission estimates that we will close the year 2022 with global inflation of 8.1%.

Index

• Editorial
• Introduction
• Chapter 1. The socioeconomic context after more than two years of pandemic
  • 1.1. The sociodemographic context
  • 1.2. The job market seems to be recovering
  • 1.3. How do the most vulnerable households live?
• Chapter 2. Impact of inflation on living conditions
  • 2.1. Brief approach to infl ation and its conceptual apparatus
    2.1.1. The malleability of the concept of inflation
    2.1.2. Diagnostics and prescriptions
  • 2.2. Recent evolution of infl ation and its impact on family spending
    2.2.1. A year and a half of continuous price increases
    2.2.2. An infl ation in the average of the EU-27 and higher than that of countries in our immediate environment
    2.2.3. Inflation feeds on the essential expenses of families
  • 23. The impact of inflation among the most vulnerable population
    2.3.1. Inflation exceeds the capacities of families with less income
  • 2.4. How inflation affects the different territories.
    2.4.1. The pressure of inflation on housing and utilities is notable in some autonomous communities
  • 2.5. Inflation, wages and cash benefits
  • 2.6. The challenge of the inflationary crisis in the face of social protection
• Chapter 3. Households and their Reference Budget for Decent Living Conditions
  • 3.1. What is our proposal?
    3.1.1. Background
    3.1.2. Concept
    3.1.3. Methodology
  • 3.2. Households and their budget.
  • 3.3. The perception of the situation
  • 3.4. Profiles of the most vulnerable households
  • 3.5. Coping or survival strategies of households with the greatest difficulties with their family budget.
  • 3.6. The intensity of the strategies
  • 3.7. Micro-level strategies
    3.7.1. Food, clothing and footwear
    3.7.2. Income and expenses
    3.7.3. housing supplies
    3.7.4. Leisure and social relations
    3.7.5. Transport
    3.7.6. Health
    3.7.7. Debts
    3.7.8. Employment
    3.7.9. Education
    3.7.10. living place
• Chapter 4. Challenges to guarantee the right to an adequate standard of living
• Bibliography