This paper presents a policy evaluation of two social assistance and two income-tested child benefits in Bulgaria. The policy objective is to lift people up to a certain minimum income level and provide income security to the most vulnerable groups of the population. Based on EU-SILC 2008 data with income reference period 2007 I look at how well the benefits target the intended beneficiaries and individuals/households below the poverty line, and given their objectives I calculate the benefits’ impact on poverty reduction. Results show that the two child benefits are regressive and almost equally distributed over the income deciles. In contrast, the two social assistance benefits are progressive, mainly concentrated on the first two income deciles. However, benefits’ coverage of the poor is very low, only between 10-20%. Poverty rates decrease by a small degree among benefit recipients and yet, the impact is insufficient to affect overall poverty, or for the benefits to achieve the policy goals.
Presented by:
Iva Valentinova Tasseva
Date & time:
June 27, 2012 12:00 pm - June 27, 2012 1:00 pm
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