Preamble: the analysis presented in this chapter does not take account of the most recent reforms. Please see Annex B for an overview of these reforms.

This chapter presents information on four main categories of social benefits: unemployment benefits, benefits for families, disability benefits, and housing benefits. It analyses these benefits in an international comparative context, in terms of the beneficiaries, the relative proportion of assistance and insurance-based expenditure, trends in expenditure, and in relation to key indicators such as the unemployment rate. It uses this analysis to draw conclusions on where and how benefits could be reformed in order to be more efficient and effective in reaching those in real need.