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Why Do Eligible Individuals Fail to Enrol in Government Social Benefits? A Systematic Scoping Review of Barriers to Access

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  • Mariona Tres Vilanova

    (Department of Economics, SOAS University of London)

Abstract

Why do so many eligible individuals fail to enrol in government social benefits? To address this question, I conduct a systematic scoping review of the theoretical and quantitative literature of welfare benefits take-up. I find that evidence on the significance, size, and direction of factors hindering the take-up of social protection programmes by eligible groups remains inconclusive. Benefit size and duration are the main determinants to take-up but focusing only on these offers a truncated story. Participation in other government programmes, social networks, demographic characteristics, education, employment status, geographical location, asset ownership, and migration status seem to influence individuals' decisions to participate in social protection programmes. These individual characteristics in turn proxy for the information barriers, compliance costs and psychological costs of the claiming process.

Suggested Citation

  • Mariona Tres Vilanova, 2024. "Why Do Eligible Individuals Fail to Enrol in Government Social Benefits? A Systematic Scoping Review of Barriers to Access," Working Papers 265, Department of Economics, SOAS University of London, UK.
    • Handle: RePEc:soa:wpaper:265
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    benefit take-up; welfare participation; public policy; institutions;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H53 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - Government Expenditures and Welfare Programs
    • I38 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - Government Programs; Provision and Effects of Welfare Programs
    • D73 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Bureaucracy; Administrative Processes in Public Organizations; Corruption
    • D78 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Positive Analysis of Policy Formulation and Implementation
    • D83 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Search; Learning; Information and Knowledge; Communication; Belief; Unawareness
    • J18 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Public Policy

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