Compiled by the Municipal Data Office (OMD), the focus of the report Renda Trimestral de Barcelona is not so much on a territorial analysis but rather on the situation at a given time, to gauge the evolution of the welfare and spending power of the population with very little delays in time.

One aspect the report offers an insight into is the impact that social benefits have had, as the crisis caused by the pandemic has been more acute in terms of primary incomes. The report does not include the latter but does include benefits as disposable income.

Specifically, disposable household incomes rose by nearly a half per cent in nominal terms in the third quarter of 2021, compared to the same period the year before. Compared to the second quarter of the same year, the increase was 2.3%.

Volume of social benefits lower as salaries account for more

Social benefits played a crucial part in stabilising falls in wages and mixed incomes during lockdown, but now that dynamic has changed, with a recovery in activity evident over the course of 2021.

The predominant source of income in the third quarter of last year was through wages, accounting for a little over half of all incomes, compared to 25% from benefits. Also significant is that wages represent the resource which rose the most in this quarter, at 5.5%.

Inflation increases

In contrast, a negative aspect reflected in the report is the rapid increase in prices as from the second half of last year, following decades of very moderate inflation. This drop in spending power is 7%, caused by the impact of rising inflation in the second and third quarters of last year, making it one of the factors with the highest impact.