Expert workshop ‘Non-take-up and coverage’ of social benefits

About

The non-take-up of social benefits has an important impact on the effectiveness and efficiency of social benefits in general and social assistance benefits in particular. In spite of a growing literature on non-take-up, quite some questions remain regarding its measurement, causes, consequences and most effective remedies. A related question is the extent to which coverage of social security schemes varies across time, policies and countries. Measurement of coverage remains a contested topic in comparative research, with room for improvement. Therefore, the University of Antwerp and the Federal Public Service for Social Security (Belgium) are organizing an expert workshop on non-take-up and coverage of social security and social assistance benefits in developed welfare states. This workshop will bring together experts from academia and public administrations, to discuss new advances in research, best practices related to monitoring coverage and non-take-up, as well as innovative policies that aim to limit the (negative effects of) non-take-up of social benefits. We welcome both qualitative and quantitative research, as well as policy and field experiences.

Course leader

University of Antwerp and the Federal Public Service for Social Security

Target group

This workshop will bring together experts from academia and public administrations, to discuss new advances in research, best practices related to monitoring coverage and non-take-up, as well as innovative policies that aim to limit the (negative effects of) non-take-up of social benefits. We welcome both qualitative and quantitative research, as well as policy and field experiences.

Course aim

Applicants are expected to present a research paper that is directly related to one of the topics mentioned below. Policy-makers and practitioners from public administrations can present a technical policy note (between 2,500 and 7,000 words) rather than a research paper.

The expected contributions should cover at least one of the following themes:

1. The measurement and monitoring of non-take-up

We look for papers that describe different approaches for estimating non-take up of social security and social assistance benefits, innovative data collection strategies, and best practices for monitoring non-take-up.

2. Innovative research into the causes and consequences of non-take-up

Under this theme, we look for papers that empirically assess the individual, household, cultural and/or institutional factors that help to explain non-take-up, as well as papers that show the individual and collective (financial, social and psychological) consequences of non-take-up.

3. Policy solutions to combat non-take-up

We are interested in the policy toolbox governments in different countries use to improve take-up rates of benefits, or minimize the negative consequences of non-take-up. Presentations on the automatization of benefit allocation, automatic identification of beneficiaries, harmonization of (administrative) concepts and the practice of nudging are especially welcome.

4. Measuring and conceptualizing coverage

Under this topic, we are looking for papers that discuss the main conceptual and methodological issues related to the measurement of benefit coverage, both from a comparative research perspective as from a policy monitoring perspective in the context of the EU Council recommendation on access to social protection. We welcome papers that analyze benefit coverage or explore potential possibilities and pitfalls for measuring coverage in a comparative perspective.

5. Coverage of social policies in practice

We welcome papers that substantiate problems of undercoverage and overcoverage of the population with respect to social security and social assistance benefits, as well as papers that highlight recent trends in expanding or limiting coverage and on-going policy discussions in this area, preferably from a comparative perspective.