This policy paper presents an index of intergenerational justice in the field of housing in Portugal, built using OECD and ICOR/EU‑SILC data and covering the period between 2016 and 2023. The index is structured into four sub‑dimensions: (1) affordability; (2) housing cost overburden; (3) independence; and (4) housing conditions.
Affordability assesses the financial effort required from households, measured through the ratio between housing prices and disposable income. Housing cost overburden corresponds to the share of individuals, in each age group, living in households where expenses with rent, mortgage interest, maintenance, water, electricity, gas, sewage, and taxes represent 40% or more of income. The independence dimension is evaluated through the percentage of young adults aged 25 to 34 who continue living in their parents’ home. The housing conditions sub‑dimension includes two indicators: the overcrowding rate and the housing‑related component of material deprivation.
The index is complemented by an analysis of the evolution of housing policies between 2006 and 2025. The results show a worsening trend in intergenerational justice, particularly pronounced after 2020. This period is marked by the impacts of the pandemic, the intensification of multiple crises, and new geopolitical conflicts — factors that contribute to the deterioration of the index. Among the sub‑dimensions analysed, the most significant declines occur in affordability and independence, with the drop in affordability being especially severe. The housing policies implemented during this period proved unable to counter this trend. The findings of this policy paper highlight the need to mitigate the worsening situation and to integrate intergenerational justice into public policy design.