The effects of in-work benefit reform in Britain on couples: theory and evidence

Publication type

Journal Article

Authors

Publication date

June 1, 2009

Abstract:

This article develops a simple model of household decisions that explicitly accounts for the role played by the Working Families' Tax Credit (WFTC) to examine its effects on couples in Britain. The main implications of the model are tested using panel data from the British Household Panel Survey collected between 1991 and 2002. Overall, the financial incentives of the reform had small and statistically insignificant effects on a wide range of married mothers' decisions. Women's responses, however, were highly heterogeneous, depending on their partners' labour supply and earnings.

Published in

Economic Journal

Volume

Volume: 119 (535):F66-F100

DOI

http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-0297.2008.02225.x

Subjects

Notes

Albert Sloman Library Periodicals *restricted to Univ. Essex registered users*

#511954

News

Latest findings, new research

Publications search

Search all research by subject and author

Podcasts

Researchers discuss their findings and what they mean for society

Projects

Background and context, methods and data, aims and outputs

Events

Conferences, seminars and workshops

Survey methodology

Specialist research, practice and study

Taking the long view

ISER's annual report

Themes

Key research themes and areas of interest