What you should know

1. What is the Survey on Living Conditions 2026?

The Survey on Living Conditions 2026 is an official operation which is part of the current Annual Statistical Action Programme (action 05 01 01), carried out under the Law on the Statistical Plan for Catalonia 2017–2020, extended for the year 2026.

The Statistical Institute of Catalonia (Idescat) is conducting this Survey in cooperation with the Catalan Ministry of Social Rights and Inclusion, the Metropolitan Area of Barcelona, the Barcelona City Council and the Metropoli Institute. It also receives the support of the National Statistical Institute (which has been conducting this Survey annually for Spain as a whole since 2004).

The Survey on Living Conditions follows Eurostat's recommendations and its framed within the European Union Statistics project on Income and Living Conditions (EU-SILC). It provides comparable data at national and European level, since it is a harmonized operation that is carried out in all the countries of the European Union, in accordance with the Regulation (EU)2019/1700 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 10 October 2019 establishing a common framework for European statistics relating to persons and households, based on data at individual level collected from samples.

2. What is the objective?

The objective of this Survey is to obtain information about income and living conditions among households, the composition of poverty and social exclusion in Catalonia, and make it comparable at a national and European level.

3. To whom is the Survey addressed?

This Survey is addressed to the population residing in main family dwellings in Catalonia, i.e. in dwellings used most of the year as their usual or permanent residence. Interviews will be held to people aged 16 and over (as of 31 December of the year prior to the Survey) in 3,899 households.

4. In which municipalities is the Survey carried out?

The Survey is carried out in the following municipalities:

Number of households surveyed

County	Municipalities	Maximum number of households
Alt Camp	Aiguamúrcia; Cabra del Camp; la Masó; Rodonyà; Vallmoll	29
Alt Empordà	Borrassà; Capmany; Figueres; Fortià; Navata; Pont de Molins; Roses; Vilafant; Vilajuïga	74
Alt Penedès	Font-rubí; Gelida, Olèrdola; Sant Quintí de Mediona; Santa Margarida i els Monjos; Torrelavit; Vilafranca del Penedès; Vilobí del Penedès	73
Alt Urgell	Coll de Nargó; la Seu d'Urgell; la Vansa i Fórnols	41
Alta Ribagorça	El Pont de Suert	7
Anoia	Cabrera d'Anoia; Capellades; Igualada; la Llacuna; Masquefa; Piera; Sant Martí de Tous; Santa Margarida de Montbui; Vallbona d'Anoia	80
Aran	Bossòst	6
Bages	Artés; Avinyó; Balsareny; Cardona; Castellbell i el Vilar; Manresa; Navàs; Sant Fruitós de Bages; Sant Joan de Vilatorrada; Santpedor; Súria	133
Baix Camp	Cambrils; Castellvell del Camp; Montbrió del Camp; Mont-roig del Camp; Reus; Riudecanyes; Riudecols; Riudoms; Vinyols i els Arcs	140
Baix Ebre	L'Aldea; Aldover; Deltebre; Tortosa	38
Baix Empordà	Begur; la Bisbal d'Empordà; Calonge i Sant Antoni; Gualta; Palafrugell; Palamós; Parlavà; la Pera; Sant Feliu de Guíxols; Santa Cristina d'Aro; la Tallada d'Empordà; Torroella de Montgrí; Ullà	93
Baix Llobregat	Abrera; Begues; Castelldefels; Collbató; Cornellà de Llobregat; Esparreguera; Esplugues de Llobregat; Gavà; Martorell; Pallejà; el Papiol; el Prat de Llobregat; Sant Andreu de la Barca; Sant Boi de Llobregat; Sant Climent de Llobregat; Sant Esteve Sesrovires; Sant Feliu de Llobregat; Sant Joan Despí; Sant Just Desvern; Sant Vicenç dels Horts; Torrelles de Llobregat; Vallirana; Viladecans	338
Baix Penedès	Albinyana; la Bisbal del Penedès; Calafell; Cunit; el Vendrell	53
Barcelonès	Badalona; Barcelona; l'Hospitalet de Llobregat; Sant Adrià de Besòs; Santa Coloma de Gramenet	869
Berguedà	Berga; Puig-reig	25
Cerdanya	Bellver de Cerdanya; Lles de Cerdanya	14
Conca de Barberà	Llorac; Vallfogona de Riucorb	19
Garraf	Canyelles; Cubelles; Olivella; Sant Pere de Ribes; Sitges; Vilanova i la Geltrú	82
Garrigues	Bellaguarda; la Granadella	16
Garrotxa	Montagut i Oix; Olot; Riudaura; Santa Pau	47
Gironès	Bescanó; Cassà de la Selva; Celrà; Flaçà; Girona; Llagostera; Llambilles; Quart; Salt; Sant Gregori; Sant Julià de Ramis; Sarrià de Ter; Vilablareix	155
Maresme	Alella; Arenys de Mar; Canet de Mar; Malgrat de Mar; el Masnou; Mataró; Montgat; Palafolls; Pineda de Mar; Premià de Mar; Santa Susanna; Tiana; Tordera; Vilassar de Dalt	181
Moianès	Santa Maria d'Oló	6
Montsià	Alcanar; Amposta; la Galera; la Ràpita	38
Noguera	Albesa; Balaguer; la Baronia de Rialb	30
Osona	Balenyà; Centelles; Manlleu; les Masies de Voltregà; Montesquiu; Sant Hipòlit de Voltregà; Seva; Taradell; Tona; Torelló; Vic	83
Pla de l'Estany	Banyoles	10
Pla d'Urgell	Fondarella; Linyola; Mollerussa	32
Priorat	Gratallops; Ulldemolins	10
Ribera d'Ebre	Flix; Miravet	14
Ripollès	Sant Joan de les Abadesses	12
Segarra	Guissona; Sant Guim de Freixenet	16
Segrià	Alcarràs; Alfarràs; Almacelles; Almenar; Alpicat; Benavent de Segrià; Gimenells i el Pla de la Font; Lleida; Rosselló; Soses; Torrefarrera; Torres de Segre; Vilanova de la Barca	136
Selva	Amer; Anglès; Blanes; Caldes de Malavella; la Cellera de Ter; Lloret de Mar; Maçanet de la Selva; Riudarenes; Sant Hilari Sacalm; Tossa de Mar; Vidreres; Vilobí d'Onyar	117
Tarragonès	Altafulla; la Canonja; el Catllar; els Pallaresos; la Riera de Gaià; Salou; Tarragona; Torredembarra; Vila-seca	139
Urgell	Bellpuig	8
Vallès Occidental	Badia del Vallès; Barberà del Vallès; Castellar del Vallès; Castellbisbal; Cerdanyola del Vallès; Montcada i Reixac; Palau-solità i Plegamans; Polinyà; Ripollet; Rubí; Sabadell; Sant Cugat del Vallès; Sant Quirze del Vallès; Santa Perpètua de Mogoda; Sentmenat; Terrassa; Ullastrell; Vacarisses; Viladecavalls	466
Vallès Oriental	Bigues i Riells del Fai; Caldes de Montbui; Canovelles; Cardedeu; Figaró-Montmany; les Franqueses del Vallès; la Garriga; Granollers; la Llagosta; Lliçà de Vall; Llinars del Vallès; Martorelles; Mollet del Vallès; Montornès del Vallès; Montseny; la Roca del Vallès; Sant Celoni; Sant Esteve de Palautordera; Sant Feliu de Codines; Sant Fost de Campsentelles; Sant Pere de Vilamajor; Santa Maria de Palautordera; Tagamanent	269
Total	258	3.899

5. How are dwellings selected?

Dwellings are selected by stratified random sampling. Firstly, the census tracts are selected, grouped homogeneously by territorial area and size of municipality. Secondly, 12 dwellings are selected for each selected census tract. The final units to be surveyed are the households and people aged 16 and over (as of 31 December of the year prior to the Survey) in the selected family dwellings.

The households that are part of the Survey sample are interviewed using the rotating panel system for four consecutive years and are then replaced. The sample consists of 4 subsamples: one subsample made up of new households being surveyed for the first time and three subsamples consisting of households that were already surveyed the previous year. This methodology makes it possible to obtain cross-sectional information (it collects information about the situation at a given time) and longitudinal information (it collects information from the same units over time and allows for dynamic analysis).

6. When is the data collected?

The fieldwork for the data collection will take place between the months of February and May 2026.

7. How shall the Survey be answered?

The data collection is carried out using 3 methods sequentially: collection of questionnaires over Internet, telephone interviews and computer-assisted personal interviews. Prior to this, the heads of household will have received a letter from Idescat explaining the aim and characteristics of the Survey.

8. Is it compulsory to answer the Survey?

Yes, it is compulsory to answer the Survey. Given the public interest, as established by the Parliament of Catalonia, in all statistics included in the Statistical plan for Catalonia, the cooperation of the population and companies in responding to the questionnaires is legally mandatory. Its purpose is to ensure an adequate response rate and reliable statistical results.

The obligation to provide information is regulated under Chapter V of the Law 23/1998, of 30 December, on Statistics in Catalonia. As expressed by article 38 of the Law: "All citizens, entities and institutions are legally required to provide the information requested and this information must be complete and truthful."

9. Is the information in the Survey properly protected?

Individual-nature data from the surveys are protected by statistical confidentiality under the terms established in Law 23/1998, of 30 December, on Statistics in Catalonia. This means that all individual data collected in the questionnaires cannot be made public or disclosed to any person or entity, not even public administrations, except to those also bound by the obligations of statistical confidentiality. In this regard, all staff at Idescat and other bodies participating in official statistics in Catalonia make a solemn declaration to uphold statistical confidentiality and face severe penalties in the event of a breach.

Similarly, the obligation to preserve statistical confidentiality is extended to the dissemination of results, whereby both Idescat and other bodies in the Statistics System of Catalonia take special care to prevent individual-nature information from being inferred from the tabulated data.

10. Where can the results of the Survey be found?

You can find the results of the Survey in the Survey on Living Conditions section of the Idescat website.

11. Where can I find out further information?

During the period of the fieldwork a telephone line and an electronic mail are available to answer any questions that might arise.

• Telephone: +34 900 670 798
• Electronic mail: condicionsdevida at idescat dot cat

After completion of the fieldwork, several ways to contact Idescat will be available.