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Thinking of incentivizing care? The effect of demand subsidies on informal caregiving and intergenerational transfers

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Abstract

We show that demand side cash subsidies to care recipients alter both caregiving and intergenerational transfer decisions. We exploit a quasi-natural experiment referring to the inception of a universal caregiving allowance (in 2007 and its reduction in 2012). We find a caregiving subsidy (of a magnitude of 530€ in 2011) to increase the probability of informal caregiving by 32% (the intensity of care in 13.5 days/year). Similarly, we find that downstream (upstream) intergenerational transfers increased (decreased) in a magnitude of 29% (15%). The effects concentrate among middle and lower income households, and were attenuated by the reduction of the subsidy.

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  • Joan Costa-Font & Sergi Jiménez-Martín & Cristina Vilaplana-Prieto, 2016. "Thinking of incentivizing care? The effect of demand subsidies on informal caregiving and intergenerational transfers," Economics Working Papers 1537, Department of Economics and Business, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, revised May 2017.
  • Handle: RePEc:upf:upfgen:1537
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    1. El experimento dependencia
      by Sergi Jiménez in Nada Es Gratis on 2016-10-14 06:00:42

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    1. Hollingsworth, Bruce & Ohinata, Asako & Picchio, Matteo & Walker, Ian, 2017. "Labour supply and informal care supply: The impacts of financial support for long-term elderly care," GLO Discussion Paper Series 118, Global Labor Organization (GLO).
    2. Costa-Font, Joan & Vilaplana-Prieto, Cristina, 2022. "Mental health effects of caregivers respite: Subsidies or Supports?," The Journal of the Economics of Ageing, Elsevier, vol. 23(C).
    3. Joan Costa-Font & Valentina Zigante, 2020. "Building ‘implicit partnerships’? Financial long-term care entitlements in Europe," Policy Sciences, Springer;Society of Policy Sciences, vol. 53(4), pages 697-712, December.
    4. Eric Bonsang & Joan Costa-Font & Joan Costa-i-Font, 2023. "The “Demise of the Caregiving Daughter”? Gender Employment Gaps and the Use of Formal and Informal Care in Europe," CESifo Working Paper Series 10792, CESifo.
    5. Florentino Felgueroso & Angel de la Fuente & José E. Boscá & Joan Costa i Font & Rafael Doménech & Javier Ferri & José I. García Pérez & Sergi Jiménez & Diego Rodríguez & Analía Viola, 2020. "Aspectos económicos de la crisis del Covid-19. Boletín de seguimiento nº2," Studies on the Spanish Economy eee2020-14, FEDEA.
    6. Pilar (P.) Garcia-Gomez & Helena M Hernandez-Pizarro & Guillem Lopez-Casasnovas & Joaquim Vidiella-Martin, 2019. "Unravelling Hidden Inequities in a Universal Public Long-Term Care System," Tinbergen Institute Discussion Papers 19-011/V, Tinbergen Institute.
    7. Costa-Font, Joan & Zigante, Valentina, 2020. "Building ‘implicit partnerships’? Financial long-term care entitlements in Europe," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 106099, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    8. Sergi Jiménez-Martín & Analía Viola, 2020. "La asistencia residencial en España y COVID-19," Studies on the Spanish Economy eee2020-20, FEDEA.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    caregiving; intergenerational transfers; difference-in-differences; long-term care; family transfers; exchange motivation; caregiving allowances; demand side cash subsidies.;
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    JEL classification:

    • I18 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health
    • D14 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Household Saving; Personal Finance
    • G22 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Insurance; Insurance Companies; Actuarial Studies

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