Belgian reference budgets for social participationBérénice Storms

AGE, Brussels, 6-10-2012

What income do (older) people need at the minimum for social

participation?

Social participation

Playing adeqately social roles common expectations to social positions

To belongTo contribute

Preconditions to social participation

Reference budgets as guidelines to enable full participation of all citizens in society

Reference budgets: adequate means for need statisfaction

• Not one (absolute) minimum !• Necessary income depends on necessary

expensesVary with individual and social living conditions

• Two extremes :To assess a minimum budget needed by well-

informed people and competent persons who are in perfect health

To assess a level of resources that will be sufficient for people in all kinds of circumstances

Reference budgets developed by experts and citizens

• Role of experts: Translating needs into concrete goods

and services and pricing them Starting as much as possible from a

normative (≠ prescriptive!) point of view

≠ real budgets =model budgets, accepted by

citizens and politicians Showing the way to an inclusive

society Strengthening competences Ensuring access to rights

Reference budgets developed by experts and citizens

• Role of citizens: Helping experts to translate needs

into concrete goods and services Ensure feasibility

Are assumptions made by experts realistic?

Ensure acceptability Method: Focus groups

Better than (survey or in-depth) interviews: valuable interaction effects between participants

Criteria for inclusion into the basket: essential for adequately playing social roles

TransparencyFlexibility Long-term budgetsSustainability

Rules of thumb:

• Methodologically:• Homogenous FG

• Income position • Household composition• Living circumstances

• Theoretically:• Mixed groups

Further research is needed

Composition of focus groups

Developing cross-national reference budgets:

Common start

• Geographical scale: Nation-region-city?• Family types:– Household composition– Living conditions

– Housing situation : (out-right) owner, (social )tenant– In good health?– In need of help?

• Pricing• Limited number of retailers• Median, low prices?

– Choice!

• Life span?

Valorisation of Belgian reference budgets

Reference budgets can be used for:1. Determining additional income support,

settling income maintenance, debt rescheduling, financial education/debt prevention;

2. Measuring poverty;3. Encouraging politicians to work towards

a socially inclusive society.

Belgian Reference budgets and minimum incomes for the elderly, 2012

Thank you for your attention!

Berenice.storms@khk.be

BereniceML.storms@ua.ac.be