Longitudinal administrative data: a complementary tool to measure poverty among Belgian elderly

On the basis of a longitudinal administrative dataset (1991-2002) matched with socio-economic survey information of 2001, new evidence is provided on poverty among Belgian elderly that are in the transition from work to retirement. Results show that for the age group 50-65 1)means- tested benefits, although designed for and targeted at the poor, are insufficient to affect poverty rates and only reduce the intensity of poverty; 2) social security benefits, that are designed in order to insure social risks, effectively reduce poverty rates; 3) the working poor do not exist in Belgium, except for the self-employed. Poverty is rather concentrated among social security beneficiaries, especially the unemployed and the disabled; 4) although in a given year about 14% of Belgian citizens is out of the Income Tax Returns data, only 4.9% of households is permanently out of the Income Tax Returns data, suggesting strong income mobility across the minimum taxable income.