ABSTRACT

In the previous chapter I have reviewed the literature on the factors influencing the answers to the Income Evaluation Question (IEQ) and the Minimum Income Question (MIQ), as well as on the resulting equivalence scales and income thresholds. In this chapter I will present extensive new results based on the Belgian Socio-Economic Panel (SEP). The SEP is a panel household income survey, using a probability sample from the population of private households in Belgium. It is conducted by the Center for Social Policy at the University of Antwerp. Data from three waves (1985, 1988 and 1992) were available at the time the analyses were carried out. For further details about the SEP see appendix A.