Struggle for Life: Social Assistance Benefits, 1992–2009

Mechelen, Natascha Van; Marchal, Sarah

doi:10.1057/9781137291844_2

Cited by 51 publications

(39 citation statements)

References 18 publications

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“…Corak, Lietz and Sutherland (2005) find that universal child related benefits that also have some degree of targeting at the poorest protect best against poverty. Their conclusion that targeting within universalism yields the best outcomes is echoed by Van Mechelen and Marchal (2013). They find that cross-country variation in the level of child benefit packages for single earner families on low pay largely overlaps with the degree of low income targeting.…”

Section: Child Poverty and Child Cash Transfersmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Welfare State and Antipoverty Policy in Rich Countries

Marx

Nolan²,

Olivera

2015

Handbook of Income Distribution

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Section: Child Poverty and Child Cash Transfersmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Welfare State and Antipoverty Policy in Rich Countries

Marx

Nolan²,

Olivera

2015

Handbook of Income Distribution

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“…This lack of major reforms might be an explanation for the limited attention for social assistance benefits in the welfare state literature. Instead of major reforms, the decreasing replacement rates in many countries suggest that policy-making in the case of social assistance can be characterised as a politics of non-intervention (Van Mechelen and Marchal, 2012). Even though substantial benefit cuts are absent, not keeping the benefits in line with the wage developments is also a policy decision.…”

Section: Summary and Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Adjusted once each year but there is no statutory adjustment basis (Van Mechelen and Marchal, 2012).…”

Section: Agementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Hence, with replacement rates, social assistance benefits can be compared with other welfare state programmes such as unemployment benefits. With respect to Van Mechelen and Marchal's (2012) study, based on the CSB-Minimum Income Protection Indicators Dataset, we extend the analysis to 33 countries and to annual data for the period 1990-2009. Third, we seek to make a methodological contribution to the 'dependent variable problem' debate in the comparative welfare state literature on how to conceptualise, operationalise and measure welfare state programmes (Clasen and Seigel, 2007;Van Oorschot, 2013).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Social Assistance and Minimum Income Benefits: Benefit Levels, Replacement Rates and Policies Across 33 Countries, 1990-2009

Wang

Vliet

2014

SSRN Journal

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Until recently, social assistance has received relatively little attention in the comparative welfare state literature, which is remarkable given its central function in combating poverty and pursuing social inclusion. This paper explores the developments of social assistance and minimum income benefits across 14 Western European countries, 12 Central and Eastern European countries and 7 non-European countries over the period 1990-2009. First, an institutional analysis shows that eligibility conditions, work requirements and benefit sanctions vary considerably across countries. Second, relying on new indicators, our analysis shows that real benefit levels increased in most countries, whilst the net income replacement rates declined on average. This development seems to fit with a 'making work pay' agenda. A subsequent qualitative analysis of the policies underlying the quantitative measures indicates that the declining replacement rates do not result from benefit cuts but from relatively larger wage increases. In addition, our policy analysis indicates that work requirements and benefit sanctions have become more activating in many countries. Third, the data indicate that social assistance benefits diverged across EU and other OECD countries between 1990 and 2009. Finally, this paper seeks to make a methodological contribution to the ongoing debate on the 'dependent variable problem' in the welfare state literature by analysing to what extent changes in quantitative indicators reflect actual policy changes.

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“…In the welfare state literature, the effectiveness and efficiency of low-income targeting in reducing income inequality and financial poverty have been studied extensively (Smeeding, 2006). Recent studies show that in many European countries the levels of social assistance benefits are not adequate to lift households out of poverty (Nelson, 2013;Van Mechelen and Marchal, 2013). This paper aims to analyze the role of the EU policy coordination in the developments of benefit levels across Europe.…”

Section: Social Assistance Benefitsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Social Assistance Benefits and European Coordination

Wang

Vliet

Goudswaard³

2015

SSRN Journal

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A number of studies suggest that the Europeanization process has a profound impact on national labour market policies, but fairly little research has been devoted to the development of social assistance benefit schemes across countries and over time. Relying on two new indicators, benefit levels and replacement rates, we examine the impact of the Lisbon Strategy on national social assistance policies.We find no robust effects for the first years of the Lisbon Strategy. However, after its re-launch in 2005, the Lisbon Strategy has significantly contributed to increases of national social assistance benefit levels.In addition to the Lisbon Strategy, domestic political, institutional and several economic factors also have a significant impact on social assistance benefits.

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Struggle for Life: Social Assistance Benefits, 1992–2009

Cited by 51 publications

References 18 publications

The Welfare State and Antipoverty Policy in Rich Countries

The Welfare State and Antipoverty Policy in Rich Countries

Social Assistance and Minimum Income Benefits: Benefit Levels, Replacement Rates and Policies Across 33 Countries, 1990-2009

Social Assistance Benefits and European Coordination

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