Why Do Eligible Individuals Fail to Enrol in Government Social Benefits? A Systematic Scoping Review of Barriers to Access

Mariona Tres Vilanova
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Mariona Tres Vilanova: Department of Economics, SOAS University of London

No 265, Working Papers from Department of Economics, SOAS University of London, UK

Abstract: Why do so many eligible individuals fail to enrol in government social benefits? To address this question, I conduct a systematic scoping review of the theoretical and quantitative literature of welfare benefits take-up. I find that evidence on the significance, size, and direction of factors hindering the take-up of social protection programmes by eligible groups remains inconclusive. Benefit size and duration are the main determinants to take-up but focusing only on these offers a truncated story. Participation in other government programmes, social networks, demographic characteristics, education, employment status, geographical location, asset ownership, and migration status seem to influence individuals' decisions to participate in social protection programmes. These individual characteristics in turn proxy for the information barriers, compliance costs and psychological costs of the claiming process.

Keywords: benefit take-up; welfare participation; public policy; institutions (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D73 D78 D83 H53 I38 J18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 55
Date: 2024-11
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