HFCS

Abstract

The HFCS collects information on the assets, liabilities, income and consumption of households. The dataset provides insights into their economic behaviour and financial situation – highly relevant factors in terms of monetary policy and financial stability. The survey is based on 84,000 interviews conducted in 18 euro area countries, as well as Poland and Hungary, mainly in 2013 and 2014. The first wave of the HFCS was conducted mainly in 2 and was published in 2013. The HFCS questionnaire consists of two main parts: questions relating to the household as a whole, including questions on real assets and their financing, other liabilities and credit constraints, private businesses, financial assets, intergenerational transfers and gifts, and consumption and saving, questions relating to individual household members, covering demographics (for all household members), employment, future pension entitlements and income (for household members aged 16 and over).