IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/iza/izadps/dp11192.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

Mechanics of Replacing Benefit Systems with a Basic Income: Comparative Results from a Microsimulation Approach

Author

Listed:
  • Browne, James

    (OECD)

  • Immervoll, Herwig

    (OECD)

Abstract

Recent debates of basic income (BI) proposals shine a useful spotlight on the challenges that traditional forms of income support are increasingly facing, and highlight gaps in social provisions that largely depend on income or employment status. A universal "no questions asked" public transfer would be simple and have the advantage that no-one would be left without support. But an unconditional payment to everyone at meaningful but fiscally realistic levels would likely require tax rises as well as reductions in existing benefits. We develop a comprehensive BI scenario that facilitates an assessment of the resulting fiscal and distributional effects in a comparative context, undertake a microsimulation study to quantify them, and propose a simple decomposition to identify the mechanisms that drive effects in different country contexts. Results illustrate the challenges, but also the strengths, of existing social protection systems. A BI would fix benefit coverage gaps that exist in many countries, but would require very substantial tax rises if it were to be set at a meaningful level. As support would not be targeted on those most in need, it would not be a cost-effective way of directly reducing income poverty.

Suggested Citation

  • Browne, James & Immervoll, Herwig, 2017. "Mechanics of Replacing Benefit Systems with a Basic Income: Comparative Results from a Microsimulation Approach," IZA Discussion Papers 11192, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
  • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp11192
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://docs.iza.org/dp11192.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    Other versions of this item:

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Ugo Colombino, 2019. "Is unconditional basic income a viable alternative to other social welfare measures?," IZA World of Labor, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA), pages 128-128, March.
    2. Sylvain Chareyron & Patrick Domingues, 2015. "Take-up of Social Assistance Benefits: The case of Homeless," TEPP Working Paper 2015-07, TEPP.
    3. Immervoll, Herwig, 2012. "Activation policies in OECD countries : an overview of current approaches," Social Protection Discussion Papers and Notes 71903, The World Bank.
    4. Katharine G. Abraham & John C. Haltiwanger & Kristin Sandusky & James R. Spletzer, 2017. "Measuring the Gig Economy: Current Knowledge and Open Issues," NBER Chapters, in: Measuring and Accounting for Innovation in the Twenty-First Century, pages 257-298, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    5. Atkinson, Anthony B., 2015. "Inequality: what can be done?," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 101810, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    6. Olivier Bargain & Herwig Immervoll & Heikki Viitamäki, 2012. "No claim, no pain. Measuring the non-take-up of social assistance using register data," The Journal of Economic Inequality, Springer;Society for the Study of Economic Inequality, vol. 10(3), pages 375-395, September.
    7. Ugo Colombino, 2015. "Five Crossroads on the Way to Basic Income. An Italian Tour," Italian Economic Journal: A Continuation of Rivista Italiana degli Economisti and Giornale degli Economisti, Springer;Società Italiana degli Economisti (Italian Economic Association), vol. 1(3), pages 353-389, November.
    8. Lawrence F. Katz & Alan B. Krueger, 2017. "The Role of Unemployment in the Rise in Alternative Work Arrangements," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 107(5), pages 388-392, May.
    9. Holly Sutherland & Francesco Figari, 2013. "EUROMOD: the European Union tax-benefit microsimulation model," International Journal of Microsimulation, International Microsimulation Association, vol. 1(6), pages 4-26.
    10. Herwig Immervoll & Stefano Scarpetta, 2012. "Activation and employment support policies in OECD countries. An overview of current approaches," IZA Journal of Labor Policy, Springer;Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit GmbH (IZA), vol. 1(1), pages 1-20, December.
    11. repec:iza:izawol:journl:y:2015:p:128 is not listed on IDEAS
    12. Rosanna Scutella, 2004. "Moves to a Basic Income-Flat Tax System in Australia: Implications for the Distribution of Income and Supply of Labour," Melbourne Institute Working Paper Series wp2004n05, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, The University of Melbourne.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. David Rodríguez-Guerrero, 2019. "Política fiscal, pobreza y desigualdad: un modelo de microsimulación para Colombia," Ensayos de Economía 17544, Universidad Nacional de Colombia Sede Medellín.
    2. Herwig Immervoll & Cathal O’Donoghue & Jules Linden & Denisa Sologon, 2023. "Who pays for higher carbon prices?: Illustration for Lithuania and a research agenda," OECD Social, Employment and Migration Working Papers 283, OECD Publishing.
    3. Ravallion, Martin, 2019. "Guaranteed employment or guaranteed income?," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 115(C), pages 209-221.
    4. Ali Enami & Ugo Gentilini & Patricio Larroulet & Nora Lustig & Emma Monsalve & Siyu Quan & Jamele Rigolini, 2023. "Universal Basic Income Programs: How Much Would Taxes Need to Rise? Evidence for Brazil, Chile, India, Russia, and South Africa," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 59(9), pages 1443-1463, September.
    5. René Böheim & Thomas Horvath & Thomas Leoni & Martin Spielauer, 2023. "The Impact of Health and Education on Labor Force Participation in Aging Societies: Projections for the United States and Germany from Dynamic Microsimulations," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 42(3), pages 1-35, June.
    6. Maura Francese & Delphine Prady, 2018. "Universal Basic Income: Debate and Impact Assessment," IMF Working Papers 2018/273, International Monetary Fund.
    7. Richiardi, Matteo & Pearce, Nick & Crisp, Joe, 2024. "UBI-eh? Strengthening minimum income guarantees, universality and unconditionality in the UK working-age welfare state," Centre for Microsimulation and Policy Analysis Working Paper Series CEMPA1/24, Centre for Microsimulation and Policy Analysis at the Institute for Social and Economic Research.
    8. Matteo Richiardi, 2017. "Editorial," International Journal of Microsimulation, International Microsimulation Association, vol. 10(3), pages 1-4.
    9. Jara, H. Xavier & Palacio Ludeña, María Gabriela, 2024. "Rethinking social assistance amid the COVID-19 pandemic: guaranteeing the right to income security in Ecuador," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 121120, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    10. Holly Sutherland, 2018. "Quality Assessment of Microsimulation Models The Case of EUROMOD," International Journal of Microsimulation, International Microsimulation Association, vol. 11(1), pages 198-223.
    11. Martinelli, Luke & O'Neill, Kathryn, 2019. "A comparison of the fiscal and distributional effects of alternative basic income implementation modes across the EU28," EUROMOD Working Papers EM14/19, EUROMOD at the Institute for Social and Economic Research.
    12. Zoltan Csefalvay, 2019. "What are the policy options? A systematic review of policy responses to the impacts of robotisation and automation on the labour market," JRC Working Papers on Corporate R&D and Innovation 2019-02, Joint Research Centre (Seville site).
    13. Elise Aerts; & Ive Marx; & Gerlinde Verbist;, 2023. "Not That Basic: How Level, Design and Context Matter for the Redistributive Outcomes of Universal Basic Income," Working Papers 2303, Herman Deleeck Centre for Social Policy, University of Antwerp.
    14. Leventi, Chrysa & Pezer, Martina & Bezeredi, Slavko, 2018. "Research note: The distributional impact of local social benefits in Croatia," EUROMOD Working Papers EM17/18, EUROMOD at the Institute for Social and Economic Research.
    15. Maurizio Bussolo & Maria E. Davalos & Vito Peragine & Ramya Sundaram, 2018. "Toward a New Social Contract," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 30393, December.
    16. Aerts, Elise & Marx, Ive & Verbist, Gerlinde, 2023. "Not That Basic: How Level, Design and Context Matter for the Redistributive Outcomes of Universal Basic Income," IZA Discussion Papers 15952, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Islam, Nizamul & Colombino, Ugo, 2018. "The case for NIT+FT in Europe. An empirical optimal taxation exercise," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 38-69.
    2. Nizamul Islam & Ugo Colombino, 2018. "The case for negative income tax with flat tax in Europe. An empirical optimal taxation exercise," Working Papers 454, ECINEQ, Society for the Study of Economic Inequality.
    3. Magnani, Riccardo & Piccoli, Luca, 2020. "Universal basic income with flat tax reform in France," Journal of Policy Modeling, Elsevier, vol. 42(2), pages 235-249.
    4. Rolf Aaberge & Ugo Colombino, 2018. "Structural Labour Supply Models and Microsimulation," International Journal of Microsimulation, International Microsimulation Association, vol. 11(1), pages 162-197.
    5. Fernandez, Rodrigo & Immervoll, Herwig & Pacifico, Daniele & Thévenot, Céline, 2016. "Faces of Joblessness: Characterising Employment Barriers to Inform Policy," IZA Discussion Papers 9954, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    6. Anthony B. Atkinson & Chrysa Leventi & Brian Nolan & Holly Sutherland & Iva Tasseva, 2017. "Reducing poverty and inequality through tax-benefit reform and the minimum wage: the UK as a case-study," The Journal of Economic Inequality, Springer;Society for the Study of Economic Inequality, vol. 15(4), pages 303-323, December.
    7. Michelle Peterie & Gaby Ramia & Greg Marston & Roger Patulny, 2019. "Emotional Compliance and Emotion as Resistance: Shame and Anger among the Long-Term Unemployed," Work, Employment & Society, British Sociological Association, vol. 33(5), pages 794-811, October.
    8. Joshua D. Gottlieb & Avi Zenilman, 2020. "When Workers Travel: Nursing Supply During COVID-19 Surges," NBER Working Papers 28240, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    9. Eichhorst, Werner & Rinne, Ulf, 2016. "Promoting Youth Employment in Europe: Evidence-based Policy Lessons," IZA Policy Papers 119, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    10. Sylvain Chareyron & David Gray & Yannick L’Horty, 2018. "Raising Take-Up of Social Assistance Benefits through a Simple Mailing: Evidence from a French Field Experiment," Revue d'économie politique, Dalloz, vol. 128(5), pages 777-805.
    11. Rolf Aaberge & François Bourguignon & Andrea Brandolini & Francisco H. G. Ferreira & Janet C. Gornick & John Hills & Markus Jäntti & Stephen P. Jenkins & Eric Marlier & John Micklewright & Brian Nolan, 2017. "Tony Atkinson and his Legacy," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 63(3), pages 411-444, September.
    12. Sarah Marchal & Mechelen, N. van, 2013. "GINI DP 87: Activation strategies within European minimum income schemes," GINI Discussion Papers 87, AIAS, Amsterdam Institute for Advanced Labour Studies.
    13. Martinelli, Luke & O'Neill, Kathryn, 2019. "A comparison of the fiscal and distributional effects of alternative basic income implementation modes across the EU28," EUROMOD Working Papers EM14/19, EUROMOD at the Institute for Social and Economic Research.
    14. Sarah Marchal & Linus Sióland, 2019. "A safety net that holds? Tracking minimum income protection adequacy for the elderly, the working and the non-working of active age," Working Papers 1909, Herman Deleeck Centre for Social Policy, University of Antwerp.
    15. Grünberger Klaus & Narazani Edlira & Filauro Stefano & Kiss Áron, 2022. "Social and fiscal impacts of statutory minimum wages in EU countries: a microsimulation analysis with EUROMOD," IZA Journal of Labor Policy, Sciendo & Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit GmbH (IZA), vol. 12(1), pages 1-39, January.
    16. Roberto Iacono, 2017. "Minimum income schemes in Europe: is there a trade-off with activation policies?," IZA Journal of European Labor Studies, Springer;Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit GmbH (IZA), vol. 6(1), pages 1-15, December.
    17. Ugo Colombino & Nizamul Islam, 2020. "Combining microsimulation and optimization to identify optimal flexible tax-transfer rule," CHILD Working Papers Series 86 JEL Classification: H2, Centre for Household, Income, Labour and Demographic Economics (CHILD) - CCA.
    18. Joshua D. Gottlieb & Avi Zenilman, 2020. "When Nurses Travel: Labor Supply Elasticity During COVID-19 Surges," Working Papers 2020-166, Becker Friedman Institute for Research In Economics.
    19. Katharina Dengler, 2019. "Effectiveness of sequences of classroom training for welfare recipients: what works best in West Germany?," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 51(1), pages 1-46, January.
    20. Ugo Colombino & Nizamul Islam, 2021. "Global and digitalised economy, new labour demand scenarios and optimal tax-transfer reforms," CHILD Working Papers Series 90 JEL Classification: H2, Centre for Household, Income, Labour and Demographic Economics (CHILD) - CCA.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    basic income; targeting; individualisation; conditionality; microsimulation;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C81 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Data Collection and Data Estimation Methodology; Computer Programs - - - Methodology for Collecting, Estimating, and Organizing Microeconomic Data; Data Access
    • D31 - Microeconomics - - Distribution - - - Personal Income and Wealth Distribution
    • H22 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Incidence
    • H55 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - Social Security and Public Pensions

    NEP fields

    This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    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:iza:izadps:dp11192. 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.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with 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: Holger Hinte (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/izaaade.html .

    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.