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Skiftande rättigheter i fattigvården : en jämförelse mellan den skäliga levnadsnivån för äldreförsörjningsstöd och ekonomiskt bistånd

Jönsson, Anders LU ; Panican, Alexandru and Brauer, John (2025) In Socialvetenskaplig tidskrift 31(3-4). p.447-467
Abstract
Different rights regarding poor relief – a comparison between the level of reasonable living standards for financial support for the elderly and financial assistanceIn 2003, financial support for the elderly (ÄFS) was introduced in Sweden, which shifted the responsibility for older people in need of financial support from the municipalities to the state. Prior to the reform, the target group received municipal social assistance (SA), which is a means-tested support for people with little or no income.The article compares ÄFS and SA, focusing on what is considered a “reasonable living standard”, a concept used for both benefits. This is done through a textual analysis of government bills relevant to the implementation of ÄFS.The results... (More)
Different rights regarding poor relief – a comparison between the level of reasonable living standards for financial support for the elderly and financial assistanceIn 2003, financial support for the elderly (ÄFS) was introduced in Sweden, which shifted the responsibility for older people in need of financial support from the municipalities to the state. Prior to the reform, the target group received municipal social assistance (SA), which is a means-tested support for people with little or no income.The article compares ÄFS and SA, focusing on what is considered a “reasonable living standard”, a concept used for both benefits. This is done through a textual analysis of government bills relevant to the implementation of ÄFS.The results show that at the time of implementation, the reasonable standard of living for ÄFS was comparable to SA. Gradually, ÄFS has become more generous compared to SA. The calculation of the reasonable living standards for ÄFS is characterised by administrative simplicity, where the assistance is easily calculated for each application rather than assessed to match the needs of the individual recipients, which can be contrasted to the less standardised administration of SA. However, the level of the ÄFS is below the EU poverty line. Thus, the ÄFS does not have a good capacity to lift recipients out of poverty.The poor relief logic that characterises SA remains in the ÄFS, for instance, through means tes-ting. It is thus possible to see ÄFS as a type of light version of the poor relief logic. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
fattigvård, äldreförsörjningsstöd, ekonomiskt bistånd, sociala rättigheter
in
Socialvetenskaplig tidskrift
volume
31
issue
3-4
pages
447 - 467
publisher
Forsa
ISSN
1104-1420
language
Swedish
LU publication?
yes
id
02bc6884-0af7-4641-b411-50801ebbfeec
alternative location
http://10.3384/SVT.2024.31.3-4.5628
date added to LUP
2025-01-29 10:15:29
date last changed
2025-04-04 13:55:41
@article{02bc6884-0af7-4641-b411-50801ebbfeec,
  abstract     = {{Different rights regarding poor relief – a comparison between the level of reasonable living standards for financial support for the elderly and financial assistanceIn 2003, financial support for the elderly (ÄFS) was introduced in Sweden, which shifted the responsibility for older people in need of financial support from the municipalities to the state. Prior to the reform, the target group received municipal social assistance (SA), which is a means-tested support for people with little or no income.The article compares ÄFS and SA, focusing on what is considered a “reasonable living standard”, a concept used for both benefits. This is done through a textual analysis of government bills relevant to the implementation of ÄFS.The results show that at the time of implementation, the reasonable standard of living for ÄFS was comparable to SA. Gradually, ÄFS has become more generous compared to SA. The calculation of  the  reasonable  living  standards  for  ÄFS  is  characterised  by  administrative  simplicity,  where  the assistance is easily calculated for each application rather than assessed to match the needs of the individual recipients, which can be contrasted to the less standardised administration of SA. However, the level of the ÄFS is below the EU poverty line. Thus, the ÄFS does not have a good capacity to lift recipients out of poverty.The poor relief logic that characterises SA remains in the ÄFS, for instance, through means tes-ting. It is thus possible to see ÄFS as a type of light version of the poor relief logic.}},
  author       = {{Jönsson, Anders and Panican, Alexandru and Brauer, John}},
  issn         = {{1104-1420}},
  keywords     = {{fattigvård; äldreförsörjningsstöd; ekonomiskt bistånd; sociala rättigheter}},
  language     = {{swe}},
  month        = {{01}},
  number       = {{3-4}},
  pages        = {{447--467}},
  publisher    = {{Forsa}},
  series       = {{Socialvetenskaplig tidskrift}},
  title        = {{Skiftande rättigheter i fattigvården : en jämförelse mellan den skäliga levnadsnivån för äldreförsörjningsstöd och ekonomiskt bistånd}},
  url          = {{http://10.3384/SVT.2024.31.3-4.5628}},
  volume       = {{31}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}