Intersectionality, agency and take‐up of benefits among families living in poverty

Abstract

Non‐take‐up of benefits is a common problem in welfare states. Knowledge gaps are a fundamental factor in such non‐take‐up. Through a critical social structure and agency lens, the objective of the current study was to examine the contribution of different individual and social variables to the access of knowledge on rights among families living in poverty. Specifically, we focused on the intersection of nationality (Arab‐Israeli versus Jewish‐Israeli) and family structure (single‐parent versus two‐parent). The findings relied on a secondary analysis of an administrative database of a program for families living in poverty. The sample consisted of 1512 families, of whom 839 were Jewish‐Israeli and 673 were Arab‐Israeli. Our findings showed that nationality and family structure intersected and correlated with families' access to knowledge on rights. Jewish two‐parent families had the most economic privileges, but Jewish single‐parent families had the highest access to knowledge on rights. Arab single‐parent families had the worst economic, personal agency and social support conditions and the lowest access to knowledge on rights. The conclusion of this study is that looking at the non‐take‐up of benefits through an intersectional lens can help us understand more clearly the social structure barriers preventing take‐up. Social policy implications are discussed.