Social assistance in social security systems - EU countries perspective

1. Social assistance in social security systems - EU countries perspective National Institute of Social Development (NISD) CASS Marzena Breza, PhD, EU Resident Expert, EU-China Social Protection Reform Project Beijing, 12 June 2019

2. Content • Introduction on social assistance in the social protection • EU approach • Lessons learned for Chinese social assistance system • Conclusions

3. Social protection in the EU MS • Relative high spending on social protection • Differences between countries (north – Scandinavian countries, east-central, south, and west Europe) • Different measures to support people in need • Family policy (including universal benefits) • Social policy towards disabled; unemployed, elderly Getting more and more importance in reducing poverty

4. Life cycle perspective in social policy making

5. EU poverty rate High poverty rate higher U&R difference

6. Social assistance vs. main challenges for social situation in Europe • Poverty rate – before and after social transfers (main impact of the pensions paid) • Income inequalities • Social transfers and their influence on household income • Generosity • Solidarity

7. Social protection benefits (EUROSTAT)

8. Social protection expenditure EU MS 2015 social protection in the EU – 28.3% of GDP

9. Social assistance • Last resort instrument of social policy in Europe (usually means tested) • Social assistance as an element of the broaden social protection system • Schemes for families i.a. children; elderly (pensions, case services, etc.); disabled (pensions, allowances and active labour measures); unemployed (benefits and active labour market policy measures). • Public spending

10. Chinese perspective

11. Who are the poor in China? • Three Nos • Elderly • Rural hukou citizens • Disabled • In Europe mostly unemployed (67%), young people 18-24 – 31% (65+ 18%), migrants 39% (non EU) • Poverty related characteristics: gender, age, labour activity, education, country of birth, urbanization (U&R)

12. Introduction • From poverty reduction driven policy to more comprehensive scheme for vulnerable groups • From benefits (mainly cash benefits) approach to differentiated social assistance scheme • Social assistance allowances supplemented by social services scheme • Standards based social assistance implementation • Transparent access (including rural areas)

13. Social assistance in China - main challenges acknowledged (1) • Gaps • Overlapping • Duplications • Key issues – beneficiary level: • Social assistance accessibility (rural / urban / gender / migration background - Hukou based social assistance) including information policy • Needs assessment (initial assessment) • Targeted support vs. qualified staff (mainly social workers) Policy design and implementation level Social assistance data base and statistics Social assistance inefficiency risks

14. Social assistance in China - main challenges acknowledged (2) • Key issues – governance and administration level: • Decision making and policy transmission from central to local level • Income testing and payment delivery (differences urban/rural and between provinces) – solid standards needed for all benefits provided • Coordination within complex institutional framework: public (different levels), non-profit, private; • Synergy - civil society organisations and local social assistance authorities targeting vulnerable groups;

15. Social assistance in China - main challenges acknowledged (3) • Monitoring and evaluation of the social assistance programs and their efficiency • IT support for more automated process (especially due to the staff shortages at all levels of social assistance implementation) • Fraud identification and prevention

16. EU general approach • Widespread understanding of vulnerability and risk of poverty (monetary poverty, material deprivation) at the policy design and implementation process • “Monetary poverty is the most widespread form of poverty, affecting 17.3 % of the EU population in 2016. 7.5 % are affected by severe material deprivation, while very low work intensity concerns 10.5 % of the population aged 0 to 59.” Eurostat

17. EU approach (1) • Client based & targeted approach: • Separate schemes (possible to use jointly) for different venerable groups; Target groups are: families including single parent, elderly, disables, children, single person households, homeless, etc. • Providing support depending on the current vulnerability and its dynamic • Monitoring social assistance recipients and their dependants (risk of poverty inheritance) • Integrated approach social assistance and labour market policy measures – (working age poor supporting to reattached with the labour market)

18. EU approach (2) • Administration and governance level: • Design and delivery of social benefits and services need an integrated and aligned approach across different government agencies/levels and service providers • Intra- and intersectoral cooperation • Non-take up issue strongly considered – identification of people in need by social assistance institutions • Regular monitoring and evaluation of the benefits and programs efficiency • Information sharing and publicity on social policy

19. Lessons learned for Chinese social assistance system (1) • Evidence based policy - policy design based on a regular monitoring and evolution of social assistance outcomes and forecasted needs • Investing in data base – to make disaggregated data available • Investing in social assistance program package based on the target groups to be supported • Capacity strengthening trough better coordination mechanism for social assistance all government levels and other stakeholders (non-public, non-profit, private)

20. Lessons learned for Chinese social assistance system (2) • Investing in social assistance human recourses (social workers) for different social assistance target groups/needs • Diversification of social assistance funding sources – governments (central/provincial/local), donors, civil society organisations, CSRs, including private sector funding • Adapting social assistance instruments to changing characteristics/profile of vulnerable groups as to ensure taking out of poverty

21. Conclusions (1) • Key 1: Coordination & Standards • Advocate for comprehensive social assistance law (like lastly adopted Charity Law) – clear role, responsibilities and accountability of all stakeholders involved • Transparency and standardization at the design and implementation level • Simplifying procedure – beneficiaries level • One-stop information shop / single window access point for new entrance and standing beneficiaries

22. Conclusions (2) • Key 2: Complementarity between cash benefits and social services • Social services delivery model/s & quality of services provided • Diversifying social assistance service scheme (based on the target groups needs) based on the socio-economic trends and ageing process – investing in care services (home and institution based) • Key 3: Generosity of the benefits schemes • Dibao standard in Beijing 1000 RMB per month • salary in Beijing xx000?

23. Why income support is so important?

24. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTIONMARZENA.BREZA@EUCSPRP.ORG