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Minimum Income Support for Families with Children in Europe and the US: Where Does It Stand?

Author

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  • Aerts, Elise
  • Marx, Ive
  • Parolin, Zachary

    (Columbia University)

Abstract

This paper takes stock of income support provisions for families with children in the European Union, the United Kingdom, and the United States. We look at the impact of regulatory instruments such as statutory minimum wages and also at the role of more direct income supports like child benefits and refundable tax credits. We also consider the impact of design. What is the relative role of universal as opposed to more targeted provisions, be it by family type or (pre-tax) income level? In short, what can we learn from the best-performing countries when it comes to ensuring that families with children have adequate minimum resources? We demonstrate that there is very substantial variation in the levels of income support provided to working and non-working families across Europe and the US. The most generous countries support incomes through layers of policies of which significant minimum wages and both universal and targeted child benefits (or tax credits) are key layers. The main lesson here is that, if the political will is there, workable policy mixes are available to make sure that parents have adequate minimum income resources to provide their children an upbringing free from poverty. (Stone Center on Socio-Economic Inequality Working Paper)

Suggested Citation

  • Aerts, Elise & Marx, Ive & Parolin, Zachary, 2022. "Minimum Income Support for Families with Children in Europe and the US: Where Does It Stand?," SocArXiv h8vqu, Center for Open Science.
    • Handle: RePEc:osf:socarx:h8vqu
    DOI: 10.31219/osf.io/h8vqu
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Marx, Ive & Salanauskaite, Lina & Verbist, Gerlinde, 2013. "The Paradox of Redistribution Revisited: And That It May Rest in Peace?," IZA Discussion Papers 7414, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    2. Ive Marx & Lina Salanauskaite & Gerlinde Verbist, 2013. "GINI DP 82: The paradox of redistribution revisited: and that it may rest in peace?," GINI Discussion Papers 82, AIAS, Amsterdam Institute for Advanced Labour Studies.
    3. Ive Marx & Lina Salanauskaite & Gerlinde Verbist, 2013. "The paradox of redistribution revisited: and that it may rest in peace?," LIS Working papers 593, LIS Cross-National Data Center in Luxembourg.
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