Source
Source Contact person/organisation Contact person/organisationIn this dataset, almost all OECD countries compile their data according to 2008 System of National Account (SNA).
The link to the file "ANA_changes.xls" is available for users to provide more information on where OECD countries and non member countries stand regarding the change over the 2008 SNA.
The readers' guide gives general information on the dataset and withheld criteria for this dataset.
Data Characteristics Data Characteristics Other data characteristics Other data characteristicsSocial benefits reflect current transfers to households in cash or in kind to provide for the needs that arise from certain events or circumstances, for example sickness, unemployment, retirement, housing, education or family circumstances that may adversely affect the well-being of the households concerned either by imposing additional demands on their resources or by reducing their incomes. Transfers are typically made by governments and non-profit institutions serving households (NPISH), and they form a significant share of total general government expenditure and households disposable income; particularly for the lower income groups of society. They are an important factor in analyses of households' welfare and income inequality and the redistributive role of government.
Concepts & Classifications Concepts & Classifications Key statistical concept Key statistical conceptDefinition
The National Accounts have two distinct categories of social benefits: the first is social benefits other than social transfers in kind. The second is social transfers in kind. The distinction between the two is important. Transfers relating to the former are typically in cash and so allow households to use the cash indistinguishably from income coming from other sources, whereas transfers under the latter are always related to the provision of a certain good or service, and so households have no discretion over their use.
Social benefits other than social transfers in kind is further broken down into two key components: social insurance benefits and social assistance benefits in cash. The latter consist of cash transfers made by government units or NPISHs to households to meet the same kinds of needs as social insurance benefits but where the households or needs are outside of any social insurance scheme or where the social insurance benefits are not considered sufficient to cover the needs. It does not include payments to government/ NPISH employees in their capacity as current or former employees.
Other manipulations Other manipulationsThe SNA breaks down social insurance benefits into three further categories: social security benefits in cash; unfunded employee social insurance benefits; and private funded social insurance benefits. The first two are most relevant for government and the first, in particular, reflects a significant proportion of government expenditure. It includes cash payments for: sickness and invalidity benefits; children, family, dependants' and maternity allowances; unemployment benefits; pensions; and death benefits. Unfunded employee social insurance benefits include cash or in kind payments to employees for similar circumstances including payments on general medical services not related to the employee's work. Government as an employer incurs expenditures here, typically reflecting employee pensions.
Social transfers in kind reflect payments for individual goods and services such as education, health and housing, provided by government and NPISHs, to households either free or at prices that are not economically significant.
Other Aspects Other Aspects Recommended uses and limitations Recommended uses and limitationsComparability
Whilst there are significant differences between social transfers in kind and social benefits other than social transfers in kind vis-à-vis households' choice, they are not entirely mutually exclusive in a policy context. Governments for example can provide pensions that include a free housing component (and this component would be recorded as a social transfer in kind), rather than a pension in cash that allows the recipient to pay a market rent. Similarly some governments provide food coupons, which would be recorded as a social transfer in kind, instead of cash benefits.
This suggests that international comparisons of social benefits should focus on the totality, those in kind and in cash. Indeed comparisons of the components of social benefits other than social transfers in kind should be attempted with some caution as the coverage of people and consequences/needs in social insurance schemes varies across countries. A further caveat concerns social benefits paid to government employees as these can be delivered through private funded rather than unfunded schemes.
Moreover, in practice not all countries record all social transfers in kind in the same way. Some countries treat the reimbursements on some individual goods and services as transfers in cash; with the reimbursed component forming part of household final consumption and not general government final consumption. Total general government expenditure, households' actual final consumption, adjusted disposable income and saving are unaffected by these differences however.
In this dataset, almost all OECD countries compile their data according to 2008 System of National Account (SNA).
The link to the file "ANA_changes.xls" is available for users to provide more information on where OECD countries and non member countries stand regarding the change over the 2008 SNA.
The readers' guide gives general information on the dataset and withheld criteria for this dataset.
Social benefits reflect current transfers to households in cash or in kind to provide for the needs that arise from certain events or circumstances, for example sickness, unemployment, retirement, housing, education or family circumstances that may adversely affect the well-being of the households concerned either by imposing additional demands on their resources or by reducing their incomes. Transfers are typically made by governments and non-profit institutions serving households (NPISH), and they form a significant share of total general government expenditure and households disposable income; particularly for the lower income groups of society. They are an important factor in analyses of households' welfare and income inequality and the redistributive role of government.
Definition
The National Accounts have two distinct categories of social benefits: the first is social benefits other than social transfers in kind. The second is social transfers in kind. The distinction between the two is important. Transfers relating to the former are typically in cash and so allow households to use the cash indistinguishably from income coming from other sources, whereas transfers under the latter are always related to the provision of a certain good or service, and so households have no discretion over their use.
Social benefits other than social transfers in kind is further broken down into two key components: social insurance benefits and social assistance benefits in cash. The latter consist of cash transfers made by government units or NPISHs to households to meet the same kinds of needs as social insurance benefits but where the households or needs are outside of any social insurance scheme or where the social insurance benefits are not considered sufficient to cover the needs. It does not include payments to government/ NPISH employees in their capacity as current or former employees.
The SNA breaks down social insurance benefits into three further categories: social security benefits in cash; unfunded employee social insurance benefits; and private funded social insurance benefits. The first two are most relevant for government and the first, in particular, reflects a significant proportion of government expenditure. It includes cash payments for: sickness and invalidity benefits; children, family, dependants' and maternity allowances; unemployment benefits; pensions; and death benefits. Unfunded employee social insurance benefits include cash or in kind payments to employees for similar circumstances including payments on general medical services not related to the employee's work. Government as an employer incurs expenditures here, typically reflecting employee pensions.
Social transfers in kind reflect payments for individual goods and services such as education, health and housing, provided by government and NPISHs, to households either free or at prices that are not economically significant.
Comparability
Whilst there are significant differences between social transfers in kind and social benefits other than social transfers in kind vis-à-vis households' choice, they are not entirely mutually exclusive in a policy context. Governments for example can provide pensions that include a free housing component (and this component would be recorded as a social transfer in kind), rather than a pension in cash that allows the recipient to pay a market rent. Similarly some governments provide food coupons, which would be recorded as a social transfer in kind, instead of cash benefits.
This suggests that international comparisons of social benefits should focus on the totality, those in kind and in cash. Indeed comparisons of the components of social benefits other than social transfers in kind should be attempted with some caution as the coverage of people and consequences/needs in social insurance schemes varies across countries. A further caveat concerns social benefits paid to government employees as these can be delivered through private funded rather than unfunded schemes.
Moreover, in practice not all countries record all social transfers in kind in the same way. Some countries treat the reimbursements on some individual goods and services as transfers in cash; with the reimbursed component forming part of household final consumption and not general government final consumption. Total general government expenditure, households' actual final consumption, adjusted disposable income and saving are unaffected by these differences however.