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The impact of in-work benefits on employment and poverty

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  • Verbist, Gerlinde
  • Vandelannoote, Dieter

Abstract

This article studies the impact of design characteristics of in-work benefits on employment and poverty in an international comparative setting, taking account of both first and second order labour supply effects. We use the micro-simulation model EUROMOD, which has been enriched with a discrete labour supply model. The analysis is performed for four EU-member states: Belgium, Italy, Poland and Sweden. The results show that design characteristics matter substantially, though the specific effects differ in magnitude across countries, indicating there is no one-size-fits-all solution. Throughout the analysis, numerous trade-offs are uncovered: not only between employment and poverty goals, but also within employment incentives itself (extensive vs. intensive margin). Taking account of behavioural reactions attenuates the impact on poverty outcomes, signalling the importance of bringing these effects into the empirical analysis.

Suggested Citation

  • Verbist, Gerlinde & Vandelannoote, Dieter, 2017. "The impact of in-work benefits on employment and poverty," EUROMOD Working Papers EM4/17, EUROMOD at the Institute for Social and Economic Research.
    • Handle: RePEc:ese:emodwp:em4-17
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    6. Bea Cantillon & Diego Collado & Natascha Van Mechelen, 2015. "The end of decent social protection for the poor? The dynamics of low wages, minimum income packages and median household incomes," ImPRovE Working Papers 15/03, Herman Deleeck Centre for Social Policy, University of Antwerp.
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    9. repec:pri:cepsud:218shephard is not listed on IDEAS
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    Cited by:

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    3. Tingyun Chen & Jean-Jacques Hallaert & Alexander Pitt & Haonan Qu & Maximilien Queyranne & Alaina Rhee & Anna Shabunina & Jérôme Vandenbussche & Irene Yackovlev, 2018. "Inequality and Poverty across Generations in the European Union," IMF Staff Discussion Notes 18/01, International Monetary Fund.

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