IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jscscx/v14y2025i5p262-d1641241.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The Impact of Prioritisation and Eligibility Criteria on Social Services Intake Processes: An International Systematic Review (1993–2024)

Author

Listed:
  • David Ruíz-Ortega

    (Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Work, University of Jaen, 23071 Jaen, Spain)

  • Marta García-Domingo

    (Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Work, University of Jaen, 23071 Jaen, Spain)

  • Virginia Fuentes

    (Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Work, University of Jaen, 23071 Jaen, Spain)

  • Yolanda De la Fuente-Robles

    (Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Work, University of Jaen, 23071 Jaen, Spain)

Abstract

This systematic review examines the impact of prioritisation and eligibility criteria on social services’ intake processes. By analysing 22 studies from nine countries over three decades, this review identifies key patterns in how these criteria influence access to social assistance. Using thematic analysis, this study highlights that automation has improved efficiency by reducing administrative costs and wait times, but has also created access barriers for older adults, migrants, and individuals with limited digital skills. Additionally, gender and intersectionality play a crucial role, with men facing stricter eligibility requirements and migrant women experiencing higher approval rates. The findings also reveal that professionals’ subjective perceptions influence decisions, introducing biases that affect equitable resource distribution. While prioritisation systems streamline service delivery, they also lead to inconsistencies across different social service centres, potentially reinforcing social inequalities. This review emphasises the need to balance efficiency with fairness, ensuring that eligibility criteria do not become exclusionary mechanisms.

Suggested Citation

  • David Ruíz-Ortega & Marta García-Domingo & Virginia Fuentes & Yolanda De la Fuente-Robles, 2025. "The Impact of Prioritisation and Eligibility Criteria on Social Services Intake Processes: An International Systematic Review (1993–2024)," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 14(5), pages 1-16, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jscscx:v:14:y:2025:i:5:p:262-:d:1641241
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/14/5/262/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/14/5/262/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jscscx:v:14:y:2025:i:5:p:262-:d:1641241. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.