Banque de France Finds Overindebtedness Concentrated Among Singles, With Women Most Exposed

Overview

• Nearly 73% of overindebtedness filings involve people living alone, far above their 48.5% share of the population, with single mothers especially affected.
• Women face higher overindebtedness risk despite lower average debt levels, a pattern tied to lower incomes and wealth, barriers to homeownership, and greater childcare responsibilities.
• Roughly 80% hesitate to use the official procedure that can suspend, reschedule, or partly erase debts, and 59% of women report shame about applying.
• Among individual entrepreneurs, women account for 45% of overindebted cases though they make up only 25% of the self‑employed.
• Regional data highlight disparities: in Provence‑Alpes‑Côte d’Azur, women living alone represent 27.5% of overindebted cases versus 25% nationally, and younger adults are more present, with under‑35s at 21.4% of cases and 59% of overindebted 18–29‑year‑olds being women.