How visible is the welfare state? Public awareness of selected means-tested benefits

Abstract

"Awareness of social benefits is a key functional requirement of welfare state provision, as benefits that are unknown cannot be claimed. How well do citizens in Germany know about central means-tested benefits? Using data from the German Panel Study “Labour Market and Social Security” (PASS), this article shows that knowledge of social benefits is unevenly distributed. Individuals who are potentially eligible for a benefit are generally more likely to be aware of it. While basic income support for jobseekers is widely known, old-age basic income support, housing benefit, and especially the child supplement are substantially less visible." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Cite article

Bruckmeier, K., Lietzmann, T., Ramos Lobato, P., Wiemers, J. & Wilke, F. (2026): Wie sichtbar ist der Sozialstaat? Die Bekanntheit zentraler bedarfsorientierter Leistungen. In: Wirtschaftsdienst, Vol. 106, No. 5, p. 1-20.