Eurofound published this week a new study on non-take-up (or ‘non-give-out’) of social benefits i.e. how comes that so many people do not receive the social benefits to which they are entitled to. The study highlights first the reasons of addressing non-take-up before looking at the causes of non-take-up and how to tackle them.
The study argues that reducing non-take-up can contribute to reach European objectives such as the Europe 2020 poverty and employment targets and the Social Investment Package for instance by preventing greater social and economic costs in the long run, and making benefit systems not only more effective, but also more efficient.
The report finally finds out that non-take-up among people in vulnerable situations can often be explained by:
- a lack of information
- inhibiting costliness or complexity of access and finally
- social barriers i.e. stigma or perception of stigma.
For more information: Eurofound (2015), Access to social benefits: Reducing non-take-up, Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg