The well-being perceived by Italian families increases. The latest survey of the ING Bank Financial Welfare Index (IBF), relating to autumn 2015, shows significant half-yearly growth to 44 points in the overall financial comfort perceived by households. The Index measures perceived well-being in relation to the six dimensions of personal finance (savings, income, bills and expenses, investments, long-term and short-term debt) on a scale from 0 to 100, where 100 represents the most comfort, 50 the medium and 0 the maximum discomfort.
Compared to the previous spring, when the figure settled at 42,5 points, an increase of one and a half points. It is also underlined that, in relation to the past, the variation is more than double, given that in the previous surveys the average growth of the index was equal to 0,4 points every six months.
Going into detail, as regards long-term debt, the increase is 4,1 points to 41,8 points, the best result in the last three and a half years. In relation to income, on the other hand, the level of comfort recorded a score of 45,2 points, up by 2 points compared to March 2015. Investments and savings also performed well, respectively rising to 57,8 (+1,1) and 41,5 (+2,2).
From a geographical point of view, however, the data provide an uneven result, while the financial well-being index increases considerably in the North-West, gaining 2,1 points and reaching 48,3, in the South and in the Islands the increase is only one point (from 36,8 to 37,8). On the other hand, the North-East area goes against the trend, where the index drops to 45,2 points (from 47,2 in March 2015). However, the most significant increase was recorded in the Centre, where there was a growth of 4,3 points to 45,5 points (against 41,2 points in March 2015), a value never surpassed since the end of 2011.
From the point of view of age, however, the most significant increase is recorded in the age group between 18 and 34, where the financial well-being index rises to 43,3 points (+3,5). Sentiment is also significantly improving for 35-44 year olds, whose comfort level has gained 3 points from 42,8 to 45,8. On the other hand, the 45-54 range shows a decline to 40,3 (-1,5 compared to March 2015. The over 55s are relatively stable with a slight increase: in this range the score is 44,8 (1,3, 2015 points more than in March XNUMX).
