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Financial Concerns and the Marginal Propensity to Consume in COVID Times: Evidence from UK Survey Data

Author

Listed:
  • Bruno Albuquerque
  • Georgina Green

Abstract

We study how household concerns about their future financial situation may affect the marginal propensity to consume (MPC) during the COVID-19 pandemic. We use a representative survey of UK households to compute the MPC from a hypothetical transfer of £500. We find that household expectations play a key role in determining differences in MPCs across households: households concerned about not being able to make ends meet have a 20% higher MPC than other households. Our findings suggest that policies targeted to vulnerable and financially distressed households may prove more effective in stimulating demand than providing stimulus payments to all households.

Suggested Citation

  • Bruno Albuquerque & Georgina Green, 2022. "Financial Concerns and the Marginal Propensity to Consume in COVID Times: Evidence from UK Survey Data," IMF Working Papers 2022/047, International Monetary Fund.
    • Handle: RePEc:imf:imfwpa:2022/047
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    Cited by:

    1. Victoria Baudisch & Matthias Neuenkirch, 2023. "Costly, but (Relatively) Ineffective? An Assessment of Germany’s Temporary VAT Rate Reduction During the Covid-19 Pandemic," Research Papers in Economics 2023-04, University of Trier, Department of Economics.
    2. Meredith M. Paker, 2025. "Review of periodical literature for 2023: (vi) 1945 to present," Economic History Review, Economic History Society, vol. 78(1), pages 387-397, February.
    3. Schütz, Bernhard & Reiter, Oliver & Landesmann, Michael & Jovanović, Branimir, 2025. "Structural change, income distribution and unemployment related to Covid-19: An agent-based model," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 61-84.
    4. De Schryder, Selien & Koutounidis, Nikolaos & Schoors, Koen & Weytjens, Johannes, 2025. "Assessing the heterogeneous impact of COVID-19 on consumption using bank transactions," Journal of Macroeconomics, Elsevier, vol. 84(C).
    5. Belloc, Ignacio & Molina, José Alberto & Velilla, Jorge, 2025. "Consumption responses to inheritances: The role of durable goods," Journal of Macroeconomics, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    6. Peersman, Gert & Wauters, Joris, 2024. "Heterogeneous household responses to energy price shocks," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 132(C).
    7. Baudisch Victoria & Neuenkirch Matthias, 2024. "A Comparative Evaluation of Fiscal Stabilization Strategies during the Covid-19 Pandemic with Germany as a Reference Point," The Economists' Voice, De Gruyter, vol. 21(1), pages 29-63.
    8. Gassmann,Franziska & Gentilini,Ugo & Morais,Julieta & Nunnenmacher,Conrad & Okamura,Yuko & Bordon,Giulio & Valleriani,Giorgia, 2023. "Is the Magic Happening ? A Systematic Literature Review of the Economic Multiplier of Cash Transfers," Policy Research Working Paper Series 10529, The World Bank.

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    JEL classification:

    • D12 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Consumer Economics: Empirical Analysis
    • E21 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Consumption; Saving; Wealth
    • E62 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook - - - Fiscal Policy; Modern Monetary Theory
    • G51 - Financial Economics - - Household Finance - - - Household Savings, Borrowing, Debt, and Wealth
    • H31 - Public Economics - - Fiscal Policies and Behavior of Economic Agents - - - Household

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