Families at the Margins of the Welfare State: A Comparative Study on the Prevalence of Poverty among Families Receiving Social Assistance

The aim is to assess the prevalence of poverty among families receiving social assistance. We will examine the incidence of poverty among the recipients in relation to the general poverty profile. To answer these questions, the adequacy and poverty reduction effectiveness of social assistance schemes are examined. On the contrary to earlier studies that have mainly analysed the poverty reduction effectiveness for the recipients or the population as a whole, this paper has a specific focus on different family types. Both the model family technique and the LIS data are utilised and the period of examination is around 2000. The results indicated that outcomes differ greatly between families of different kinds and to a large extent they resembled to a general poverty profile. Out of family types considered here, the best protected family type was the elderly and the least protected the young. Findings showed significant differences in outcomes between families with children and childless families. Families with children, regardless of having one or two parent, had very high rates of poverty. Taken together, families in the receipt of social assistance had significantly higher levels of poverty than other types of families.