Social Assistance in Five Countries in North-Western Europe
Written by: Marie Louise Schultz-Nielsen and Hans Hansen
In this study paper, we calculate the disposable incomes in 2012 of three selected family types receiving social assistance in Denmark, Sweden, the United Kingdom, Germany and the Netherlands. We also calculate the net replacement rates for families receiving social assistance, calculated on the basis of the disposable incomes of ‘average workers’ in the five countries, as reported by the OECD. The results show that the Danish social assistance benefits are the highest, or among the highest, of the five countries; Swedish benefits are the lowest or among the lowest, but very much in line with those in Germany. The benefits in the United Kingdom for families with children are in the middle of the group, whereas the UK’s benefits for single persons without children are among the lowest. In the Netherlands the picture is more mixed; for single persons without children the benefits are among the highest, for lone parents they are around the middle, and for couples with children the benefits are comparatively low.
Latest releases on the same welfare topic

Interventions
Inverventions report
NExTWORK – an employment initiative
June 2023

Research
Podcast
Inequality, pension and life expectancy
May 2023

Research
Video
Briefing: Life expectancy and pension
April 2023

Research
Research report
Mortality inequalities at retirement between migrants and non-migrants in Denmark and Sweden
April 2023