Poverty and Transitions in Health, IZA Discussion Paper 7532

Abstract: Using a sample of Europeans aged 50+ from twelve countries in the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) we analyse the role of poor material conditionsas a determinant of changes in health over a four-year  period. We find that poverty defined with respect to relative incomes has no effect on changes in health. However, broader

measures of poor material conditions such as subjective poverty or low relative value of wealth significantly increase the probability of transition to poor health among thehealthy and reduce the chance of recovery from poor health over the time interval analysed. In addition to this the subjective measure of poverty has a significant effect on mortality,increasing it by 40.3% among men and by 58.3% among those aged 50–64. Material conditions matter for health among older people. We suggest that if monitoring of povertyin old age and corresponding policy targets are to focus on the relevant measures, they should take into account broader definitions of poverty than those based only on relativeincomes.IZA Discussion Papers, Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit (IZA)

EC-LINC: Brochure online

The project EC-LINC aims at helping low income households to save energy and water with no cost or low cost measures. Berlin Energy Agency is coordinating this project in cooperation with six partners from five European countries. A description of EC-LINC and the activities in all five partner countries as well as its most important results in facts and figures have been collected in a brochure. Find more information on the pilot projects, pictures from the consultations, figures on the savings (…) » read more

Social Security Compass 3rd Edition September 2013

This publication is made available as part of the public relations work of the German Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs.http://www.bmas.de/SharedDocs/Downloads/DE/PDF-Publikationen/a802-sozial-kompass-englisch.pdf?__blob=publicationFile

New post on EMIN - European Minimum Income Network

Report of Minimum Income Seminar held in Paris 9 December

Four key issues emerged from the discussions at the seminar as crucial in developing effective minimum income schemes.  These are: defining adequacy and regular uprating of payments, ensuring coverage, addressing non-take-up and integrating minimum income into an active inclusion approach.  Building consensus to make progress on these four areas is crucial to the work of the EMIN project.

Drawing conclusions from the seminar, Hugh Frazer Adjunct Professor, National University of Ireland said: “The amount of resources required to establish adequate minimum income schemes is, in the totality of things, quite small.  However, it is also clear from what people have said at this seminar that what the EMIN is about is also not a small thing – it is a very big thing.  It is about building a fairer, more inclusive, less unequal Europe which guarantees decent and dignified social standards for all.  Adequate minimum income schemes are an important step in achieving such a vision and if we do not achieve this vision I fear that we will not much longer have a social Europe and indeed a European Union at all.”

Access the full report of the seminar here

Innovative social policies needed to restore the European social model

“It is important to make clear that the increasing emphasis on social innovation and social business should not represent an alibi for governments to reverse their duties and responsibilities” stated yesterday (13 February) MEP Heinz Becker (EPP, Austria) during a lunch debate on social innovation organised by the Social Platform in the European Parliament. The focus on unmet social needs, the involvement of all relevant actors as well as the promotion of users’ rights were mentioned as some of the 9 key criteria to define a meaningful social innovation which were identified by Social Platform members in a position paper on social innovation to which SOLIDAR significantly contributed.

Source: SOLIDAR :  Read more…