Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Unemployment and economic security for young adults in Finland, Norway and Sweden: From unemployment protection to poverty relief

Lorentzen, Thomas ; Angelin, Anna LU ; Dahl, Espen ; Kauppinen, Timo ; Moisio, Pasi and Salonen, Tapio (2014) In International Journal of Social Welfare 23(1). p.41-51
Abstract
In this study, we investigated if there has been a displacement in the type and coverage of welfare services available for young unemployed adults in Finland, Norway and Sweden over the last two decades. This question is important because a number of studies have argued that the generous unemployment benefits and extensive labour market intervention found in the Nordic welfare states shield young people from the most severe consequences of economic inactivity. In this article, we instead show that during this period, less generous means-tested unemployment and social assistance benefits have become the most important form of income protection for young people. In evidence, earnings-related unemployment benefits now cover only 10 per cent... (More)
In this study, we investigated if there has been a displacement in the type and coverage of welfare services available for young unemployed adults in Finland, Norway and Sweden over the last two decades. This question is important because a number of studies have argued that the generous unemployment benefits and extensive labour market intervention found in the Nordic welfare states shield young people from the most severe consequences of economic inactivity. In this article, we instead show that during this period, less generous means-tested unemployment and social assistance benefits have become the most important form of income protection for young people. In evidence, earnings-related unemployment benefits now cover only 10 per cent of unemployed Swedes and Finns and 45 per cent of unemployed Norwegians aged 24 years or younger. This development marks a significant change in our understanding of unemployment protection for young people in Nordic countries. (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
unemployment protection, youth, means-tested benefits, poverty relief, welfare state restructuring, social assistance
in
International Journal of Social Welfare
volume
23
issue
1
pages
41 - 51
publisher
Wiley-Blackwell
external identifiers
  • wos:000335376900005
  • scopus:84887613350
ISSN
1369-6866
DOI
10.1111/ijsw.12006
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
9ffe3445-58f0-443f-b55d-e7f4527b5c47 (old id 4559662)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 11:06:27
date last changed
2022-03-27 22:17:36
@article{9ffe3445-58f0-443f-b55d-e7f4527b5c47,
  abstract     = {{In this study, we investigated if there has been a displacement in the type and coverage of welfare services available for young unemployed adults in Finland, Norway and Sweden over the last two decades. This question is important because a number of studies have argued that the generous unemployment benefits and extensive labour market intervention found in the Nordic welfare states shield young people from the most severe consequences of economic inactivity. In this article, we instead show that during this period, less generous means-tested unemployment and social assistance benefits have become the most important form of income protection for young people. In evidence, earnings-related unemployment benefits now cover only 10 per cent of unemployed Swedes and Finns and 45 per cent of unemployed Norwegians aged 24 years or younger. This development marks a significant change in our understanding of unemployment protection for young people in Nordic countries.}},
  author       = {{Lorentzen, Thomas and Angelin, Anna and Dahl, Espen and Kauppinen, Timo and Moisio, Pasi and Salonen, Tapio}},
  issn         = {{1369-6866}},
  keywords     = {{unemployment protection; youth; means-tested benefits; poverty relief; welfare state restructuring; social assistance}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1}},
  pages        = {{41--51}},
  publisher    = {{Wiley-Blackwell}},
  series       = {{International Journal of Social Welfare}},
  title        = {{Unemployment and economic security for young adults in Finland, Norway and Sweden: From unemployment protection to poverty relief}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/ijsw.12006}},
  doi          = {{10.1111/ijsw.12006}},
  volume       = {{23}},
  year         = {{2014}},
}