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Social Support Substitution and the Earnings Rebound: Evidence from a Regression Discontinuity in Disability Insurance Reform

Author

Listed:
  • Borghans, Lex

    (Maastricht University)

  • Gielen, Anne C.

    (Erasmus University Rotterdam)

  • Luttmer, Erzo F.P.

    (Dartmouth College)

Abstract

In this paper, we exploit a cohort discontinuity in the stringency of the 1993 Dutch disability reforms to obtain causal estimates of the effects of decreased generosity of disability insurance (DI) on behavior of existing DI recipients. We find evidence of substantial “social support substitution”: individuals on average offset a euro of lost DI benefits by collecting 31 cents more from other social assistance programs. This benefit-substitution effect declines somewhat over time, but is still a significant 20% eight years later. Individuals also exhibit a strong rebound in earnings: labor earnings increase by 62 cents on average per euro of lost DI benefits. This is novel evidence of substantial remaining earnings capacity in a sample of long-term claimants of DI. On average, individuals make up for almost the entire DI benefit reduction through increases in other forms of social assistance and in labor earnings.

Suggested Citation

  • Borghans, Lex & Gielen, Anne C. & Luttmer, Erzo F.P., 2010. "Social Support Substitution and the Earnings Rebound: Evidence from a Regression Discontinuity in Disability Insurance Reform," IZA Discussion Papers 5412, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp5412
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    regression discontinuity; welfare; crowd out; spillover effects; social insurance; benefit substitution; administrative data; income assistance;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H53 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - Government Expenditures and Welfare Programs
    • J22 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Time Allocation and Labor Supply
    • I38 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - Government Programs; Provision and Effects of Welfare Programs

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