ABSTRACT
Welfare benefits allocated on the basis of a test of resources are attracting increasing international interest. The number of people claiming resource-tested ‘safety net’ benefits has been increasing in many developed countries in Europe and beyond, as a consequence of growing long-term unemployment (especially amongst young people), rises in lone parenthood and other social changes. Population ageing and global economic competitiveness are also putting pressure on the financing of insurance based social security schemes and non-contributory categorical benefits — fuelling calls for some benefits to be subjected to income- or means-testing.
