According to the National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (Insee), in May 2025, the household confidence index in France fell by three points compared to the previous month, continuing the trend observed since the beginning of the year.
In April 2025, the index, which reflects the mood of households in France, stood at 91 points, the same as in March, and 93 points in February. The last time household confidence fell to 88 points was in December last year.
Financial situation
According to Insee, households’ opinion of their personal financial situation deteriorated in May: sentiment regarding past financial conditions fell by four points, and expectations regarding future personal finances fell by three points. The data show that fewer French households believe that now is a good time for major purchases: the sentiment index in this regard fell by four points compared to the long-term average. As for the ability of French households to save, indices related to both current and future savings capacity fell by one point, but both remain well above their long-term averages.
The proportion of households that believe now is a good time to save remained stable, added Insee. Concerns about unemployment Concerns about unemployment rose significantly, by nine points, the highest level since May 2015, despite the COVID-19 period.
This is “significantly higher” than the long-term average, Insee notes. “In May 2025, households’ opinion of the future standard of living in France deteriorated sharply again, with the corresponding indicator falling by five points to its lowest level since April 2023,” the agency adds. The survey includes responses from around 2,000 households collected by telephone between April 25 and May 15.
