Income, Consumption and Assets Data, IndicatorsHousehold income and expenditure 2007
Household Budget Survey (HBS)
Household income and expenditure of all households
| HBS 2007 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Budget structure1 | |||
| Amount in francs per month per household (mean) and percentage distribution (100%: gross income) | |||
| Income from employment2 | 6 627 | b | 73.8% |
| Employee income | 5 727 | b | 63.8% |
| Income from self-employment | 900 | d | 10.0% |
| Investment income (incl. rental) | 421 | e | 4.7% |
| Primary income2 | 7 049 | b | 78.5% |
| Pensions and social security benefits | 1 790 | c | 19.9% |
| Old age/invalidity pensions (1st pillar) | 796 | c | 8.9% |
| Pensions from occupational insurance funds (2nd pillar) | 643 | c | 7.2% |
| Social security benefits and daily allowances | 351 | d | 3.9% |
| Financial transfer income from other households | 140 | d | 1.6% |
| Gross income | 8 979 | b | 100.0% |
| Compulsory transfer expenditure | −2 478 | b | −27.6% |
| Social security contributions | −884 | c | −9.8% |
| Taxes | −1 097 | c | −12.2% |
| Health insurance: basic insurance | −498 | a | −5.5% |
| Financial transfer expenditure to other households | −224 | d | −2.5% |
| Disposable income3 | 6 276 | b | 69.9% |
| Other insurances, fees and transfers | −606 | c | −6.8% |
| Health insurance: complementary insurance | −133 | c | −1.5% |
| Other insurances | −193 | b | −2.2% |
| Fees and other charges | −73 | e | −0.8% |
| Donations and other transfers | −207 | e | −2.3% |
| Consumption expenditure | −5 432 | b | −60.5% |
| Food and non-alcoholic beverages | −638 | b | −7.1% |
| Alcoholic beverages and tobacco | −103 | c | −1.2% |
| Hotels and restaurants | −538 | b | −6.0% |
| Clothing and footwear | −240 | c | −2.7% |
| Housing and energy | −1 434 | b | −16.0% |
| Furnishings, household equipment and routine household maintenance | −299 | c | −3.3% |
| Health | −298 | c | −3.3% |
| Transport | −743 | c | −8.3% |
| Communication | −178 | b | −2.0% |
| Entertainment, recreation and culture | −668 | c | −7.4% |
| Other goods and services | −293 | c | −3.3% |
| Sporadic income4 | 368 | d | 4.1% |
| Savings | 606 | e | 6.8% |
| Household composition1 by employment status | |||
| Number of persons per household (mean) and percentage distribution (100%: all persons) | |||
| Number of persons per household | 2.22 | b | 100.0% |
| Self-employed5 | 0.18 | d | 7.9% |
| In paid employment | 1.03 | b | 46.3% |
| Pensioner | 0.37 | c | 16.8% |
| Persons in education/training | 0.10 | d | 4.7% |
| Other6 | 0.17 | c | 7.8% |
| Children under 15 | 0.37 | c | 16.5% |
| Percentage share of households by selected household groups | |||
| Percentage of households (100%: total of all households) | |||
| Single person households | 33.0% | ||
| Households in rented accommodation | 60.0% | ||
| Pensioner households | 24.2% | ||
| Households with a reference person7 younger than 35 | 17.9% | ||
| Households with a woman as reference person7 | 31.2% | ||
| Households with at least one car | 79.4% | ||
| Households with at least one bicycle | 66.2% | ||
| Households with at least one computer | 78.6% | ||
| Households with at least one mobile telephone | 88.4% | ||
| Households with at least one pet (dog or cat) | 28.5% | ||
Definitions
Gross household income
The gross household income is made up of the entire income of all the members of a private household. It includes gross salaries (before social security deductions), earnings from self-employment, pensions, interest, transfers from other households, payments in kind from one’s own business, benefits in kind from employer, produce from the household's garden, etc.
Disposable income
The disposable income is calculated by deducting the compulsory expenditure from the gross income. This includes mandatory expenses, such as social security contributions (contributions to retirement and survivors' pensions and disability benefits, company pension schemes etc.) and taxes, health insurance premiums (basic insurance), regular payments to other households (e.g. alimony).
Sporadic income
Sporadic income includes gifts in kind, sales and reimbursements. Although sporadic income is not included in the gross income, it is taken into account for the calculation of savings.
Savings
Savings are calculated indirectly by adding up a household’s total income (gross income and sporadic income) and by deducting all expenditure from it (consumption and transfer expenditure). Savings, payments towards 3rd pillar, purchase of securities, investments, mortgage repayments etc are not considered as expenditure and are therefore included in savings.
Revision of Household Budget Survey (HBS) 2006
With the revision of the Household Budget Survey in 2006, the definitions of gross household income and disposable income were adapted to meet new international standards. For example, sporadic income is no longer included in gross income (nor in disposable income). Therefore the indicators published here can be directly compared only with those from 2006. A recalculation of the data from 1998 until 2005 based on the updated definitions is planned and should be published in the middle of 2010.

