Description
The household means test is an essential part of social assistance. The history of the household means test is as old as the Poor Law itself, and it is difficult to imagine the current system without it. The test is embedded in the general minimum subsistence scheme, as well as in specific schemes such as housing allowance. However, the definition of what constitutes a household is constantly challenged by the pluralistic and dynamic social reality of people’s living situation. This question of definition has consequences for both legislation and policy implementation, and it subsequently impacts social outcomes for people in need.This paper analyses the use of the household notion within the parliamentary history on social assistance schemes in the Dutch context. First, the definition of the household will be described, from its introduction in the main social assistance scheme in 1964 up until now. The paper will analyse the arguments in favour of alternations of the ruling definition brought forward in parliamentary discourse. It will also explore which instruments have been introduced to determine who is and who is not part of the household. The eventual aim of the paper is to explore how the studied developments should be viewed in light of the overall movement towards conditionality and complexity identified before as a trend in social security law and policy.
| Periode | 15-sep.-2022 |
|---|---|
| Evenementstitel | ESPANET2022 VIENNA CONFERENCE: Social Policy Change between Path Dependency and Innovation |
| Evenementstype | Conference |
| Locatie | Vienna, AustriaToon op kaart |