商品詳細

Although means-testing for Social Security transfers is economical it hasn't proven to be very effective. Witness both the Minimum Income Guarantee (MIG) and the Pension Credit initiatives implemented by The Labour Government. Both of these new means-tested benefits have suffered from low levels of take up amongst entitled pensioners. This book sheds important new light on this pressing problem. It examines existing research on take-up, highlighting gaps in understanding and explores the strengths and weaknesses of the theoretical base, drawing on European theory and applying it to the UK. Socio-economic, demographic and attitudinal trends are analyzed to elucidate the impact they have had and will have on the proportion entitled to MIG and the take-up rate, while current policy is analyzed to explore the importance that take-up has had for the Labour government and the prospects of policy for improving it. High take-up would be an important step in the process of combating poverty. This book offers solutions and options to tackle these problems, and is therefore of critical interest to academics and policy makers in the UK and around the world.