Estonian Household Finance and Consumption Survey
What kind of survey is it?
The Estonian Household Finance and Consumption Survey assesses the real and financial assets and debt levels of Estonian households, as well as their income, savings, and consumption behaviour.
Who commissions the survey?
The survey is conducted in cooperation with the Bank of Estonia (Eesti Pank). The same kind of surveys are carried out in all euro area countries, organised by national central banks and coordinated by the European Central Bank. Collecting similar data across the entire euro area allows comparisons of results between countries.
The results of the survey can be used to analyse the impact of rising debt on the economy, which will help in formulating monetary policy to prevent possible future economic crises.
How often is the survey conducted?
The Household Finance and Consumption Survey has been conducted in Estonia in 2013, 2017, 2021 and 2024. How are the participants selected?
The survey population includes all households residing permanently in Estonia, excluding inhabitants of institutional households (children’s homes, care homes, cloisters, etc.). The survey is conducted as a panel survey, i.e. households responding to the previous wave of the survey are contacted. A household participates in the survey a maximum of four times, after which it is dropped from the survey along with all of its split-off households. In each wave, new participants are also included in the survey, selected systematically from the population register from among persons aged 14 years and over. Each person brings their household to the sample. The household questionnaire is answered by the person who is most familiar with the household's finances, the personal questionnaire by all members of the household aged 16 or over. The results are extended to the whole population.
How are the data collected?
Statistics Estonia carries out the Estonian Household Finance and Consumption Survey according to a set procedure. Before the survey starts, a notification is sent to all the people in the sample, explaining the purpose of the survey and how they will be contacted. The notification is sent to the sampled person at the email address indicated in the population register. If no email address is available, a letter is sent by post to the address in the population register.
In this survey, data are collected through
- an online questionnaire
- a phone interview (for best service, the call is recorded)
The data collected are used in a generalised way, no individual data are considered. Statistics Estonia ensures the protection of all respondents' data in accordance with the Official Statistics Act and the Personal Data Protection Act. Those interested can find out more about these legal acts in Estonia’s official online publication, Riigi Teataja (State Gazette). Participation in the survey is voluntary and in completing it, people are expected to show a sense of civic duty: the state must help its citizens and the citizens must help the state.
Where are the results published?
The results of the survey are published in an aggregated form on the websites of the Bank of Estonia and the European Central Bank.
How are the participants thanked for their contribution?
Households that participate in the survey are rewarded with a €15 gift voucher.
How can I make sure that it is a survey by Statistics Estonia?
All surveys conducted by Statistics Estonia are listed on Statistics Estonia’s website (in Estonian). The questionnaires can be completed online in Statistics Estonia’s self-service environment at https://uuringud.stat.ee/en/iseteenindus. Select “Personal surveys” to enter. Phone interviewing is done by specially trained interviewers who are employed by Statistics Estonia and whose names and phone numbers can be verified on Statistics Estonia’s website Contact | Statistics Estonia.
If you have any questions, please contact our customer support by phone at +372 625 9300 or by email at klienditugi [at] stat.ee (klienditugi[at]stat[dot]ee).