Impact of in-kind benefits on income distribution and on vulnerable populations

Expected outcome

Projects should contribute to all of the following expected outcomes:

• Policy makers get a mapping of in-kind benefits across Member States and a comprehensive measurement framework.
• Policy makers gain insights on the availability of in-kind services, on potential gaps in their provision, and on reasons for non-take up.
• Policy makers gain insights into the redistributive role of in-kind benefits and on the segregation of different social groups, through SSH research.
• Policy makers receive operational advice to make informed policy choices which reduce inequality and strengthen fairness and cohesion.

Scope

In-kind benefits refer to non-cash goods and services provided to individuals or households, typically by the government (national, regional and/or local), to support their well-being or fulfil basic needs. Unlike cash transfers, which can be spent at the recipient's discretion, in-kind benefits ensure that resources are used for specific purposes for free or at a subsidised cost (e.g. food banks, social housing, health and long-term care services, childcare, schooling, sport infrastructure, public transport). Despite the wide range of in-kind benefits, there is poor empirical knowledge basis of the impact of in-kind benefits (except for healthcare) on the income distribution and on vulnerable groups, unlike the impact of cash benefits.

Research activities may focus, as a baseline, on establishing a full mapping of in-kind benefits (both for free and at a subsidised cost, universal and means-tested) provided by national, regional and local governments. This mapping, potentially structured along the life-cycle perspective and/or around specific groups, might help to develop EU indicators on in-kind benefits and improve comparability.

Proposals may develop a comprehensive measurement framework based on methods, tools, available data and indicators, both qualitative and quantitative and both ex ante and ex post. The framework may translate in-kind benefits into income and show their redistributive role (on income groups, vulnerable populations, marginal and/or small size groups) and ensure cross-country comparability.

Proposals may consider identifying the availability of in-kind benefits at local level, potential gaps, take-up rates for in-kind benefits and their reasons (e.g. capacities' incompatibility with the local needs). They may involve vulnerable communities in the evaluation design.

Proposals may provide operational advice to policy makers on how to translate the research results into concrete actions to reduce inequality and strengthen fairness and cohesion.

The overall aim is to close the knowledge gap covering various dimensions. Therefore, it is expected that proposals apply a gender-sensitive and intersectional approach, including age, to their research.