The Importance of the Informal Economy for Social Policy

The informal economy is a multifaceted phenomenon with both economic and social consequences. It is important to better understand the informal economy in the context of social policy, as the informal sector is also associated with unemployment, income distribution, poverty, and migration. Thus, this study aims to draw conclusions about the relationship between the informal economy and outcomes in the primary areas of social policy. Accordingly, an evaluation was made in the context of unemployment, income distribution-poverty, migration, and informal employment, with the objective of revealing the relationship between the informal economy and social policy. The analysis of these relationships is based largely on empirical studies in the literature. It was found that the informal economy has both positive and negative consequences for unemployment, income distribution-poverty, and migration and that the informal economy must be considered in social policy planning so as to avoid deepening current social problems.