The paper examines the possible effects of introducing a large-scale welfare reform in Sweden, namely, the introduction of comprehensive welfare accounts. Under this policy, individuals make mandatory contributions to accounts, which they can top up with voluntary contributions. In return,...

This policy brief is designed to raise awareness of the current and future economic circumstances of older women, and the ways in which Social Security reform can help alleviate their unmet needs. It considers the gaps in benefit adequacy and economic security that are not addressed by current...

Under the Universal Credit reform, the main means-tested benefits except the Council Tax Benefit will be pooled into one single benefit with one single taper rate. The reform will give people better incentives to work, reduce complexity and contribute to reducing poverty. The reform could reduce...

This paper looks at welfare reforms in Italy and their effects on labour supply. I focus on social security reforms, which have taken place in the 1990s and on labour market reforms. Old age social security expenditure in Italy is high (14% of GDP) and the system has been very generous on early...

This paper assesses Italy’s 2019 tax and benefit reforms, analyses hypothetical reforms and proposes a reform package that balances goals of reducing poverty, encouraging employment and fiscal sustainability. Using the OECD’s Tax-Benefit and the EUROMOD microsimulation models, it shows that...

The introductory article of this special issue looks at the genesis, characteristics and challenges of social protection schemes in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). It argues that social protection policies in the MENA should be seen as a key ingredient of the social contract that...

Die Rentenreformen zu Beginn dieses Jahrhunderts hinterlassen zunehmend Spuren. Das Rentenniveau sinkt kräftig. Gegenüber 1989 ergibt sich bereits heute eine Senkung um knapp 14 Prozent. Vorgesehen sind weitere Absenkungen mit der Folge einer drohenden Altersarmut insbesondere für...

The pension reforms of the beginning of this century left their marks. The pension level has dropped sharply. Compared with 1989 results suggest a reduction of almost 14 percent nowadays. Further reductions are announced with the consequence of threatening old age poverty particularly for low...

Die Rentenreformen zu Beginn dieses Jahrhunderts hinterlassen zunehmend Spuren. Das Rentenniveau sinkt kräftig. Gegenüber 1989 ergibt sich bereits heute eine Senkung um knapp 14 Prozent. Vorgesehen sind weitere Absenkungen mit der Folge einer drohenden Altersarmut insbesondere für...