Despite Unemployment Insurance, Many Households Struggle to Meet Basic Needs

31.2% of households receiving unemployment insurance report having a very difficult time paying for food, rent, other household expenses.

America Counts: Stories Behind the Numbers Despite Unemployment Insurance, Many Households Struggle to Meet Basic Needs For many households that have experienced a loss of employment, unemployment insurance is a lifeline that provides much-needed funds for routine expenses such as food, housing and medical treatment. However, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's experimental Household Pulse Survey, from Feb. 3-15, approximately one out of three households (31.2%) that used unemployment insurance in the last seven days to meet spending needs reported still having a very difficult time meeting usual household expenses. Those include, but are not limited to, food, rent or mortgage, car payments, medical expenses and student loans. Read More By comparison, only about 12.3% or one in eight households that did not use unemployment insurance to meet spending needs in the last seven days reported having a very difficult time meeting usual household expenses. The Household Pulse Survey provides a unique snapshot of the hardships experienced by households that rely on unemployment insurance to meet basic household needs. Continue reading to learn more about: Households using unemployment insurance Households having difficulty paying for food Help us spread the word about America Counts. Share this story on social media or forward it to a friend. Share This You May Be Interested Moms, Work and the Pandemic: New data show that there were 1.4 million more mothers not actively working for pay in January compared to pre-pandemic levels. Learn More About America Counts America Counts tells the stories behind the numbers in a new inviting way. It features stories on various topics such as families, housing, employment, business, education, economy, emergency preparedness, health, population, income and poverty. Contact our Public Information Office for media inquiries or interviews. Don't miss an America Counts story! Subscribe here.

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