Overcoming Indigenous Disadvantage: Key Indicators 2009
Source: Productivity Commission, Australia

From Overview:

In 2002, Australian governments committed themselves collectively to overcoming the disadvantage experienced by Indigenous Australians. As part of this commitment, governments agreed to a regular public report on progress — the Overcoming Indigenous Disadvantage: Key Indicators report. This is the fourth edition of that report.

This report is more than a collection of data. It draws on extensive evidence to identify the areas where government policies will have the greatest impact. Over time, the report measures the effects of those policies — and reveals where more effort is required. This was recognised in the updated terms of reference for this report, provided this year by the Prime Minister on behalf of the Council of Australian Governments (COAG):

The OID report has been used by Governments and the broader community to understand the nature of Indigenous disadvantage and as a result has helped to inform the development of policies to address Indigenous disadvantage. Governments acting alone are unable to overcome Indigenous disadvantage. Meaningful change will also require commitment and actions by Indigenous people themselves, with support from the private and non-profit sectors and the general community, as well as governments. This report provides Indigenous people with a clear summary of current outcomes, and some examples of programs and policies that are improving those outcomes.

+ Direct link to Report (PDF; 7.3 MB)
+ Overview booklet (PDF; 3.8 MB)

Consumers in Europe
Source: Eurostat

The 2009 edition of the Panorama ‘Consumers in Europe’ presents a comprehensive set of data and related information concerning consumer markets and consumer protection issues within the European Union. The aim of the publication is to bring together the most relevant and useful information for the evaluation and development of consumer policy, not only as a tool for policy-makers,but also for those interested in end-markets and consumer affairs, such as representative organisations, public authorities, or suppliers of goods and services. Much of the data that has been used will feed into the consumer markets scoreboard which has been designed to monitor outcomes in the single market and to make European Union policy in this area more responsive to the expectations and concerns of consumers.

+ Direct link to document (PDF; 12.1 MB)

Sticking plaster or stepping-stone? Tackling urban youth unemployment
Source: Centre for Cities
Executive Summary:

Youth unemployment has been a problem in the UK for a long time, but is getting a lot worse in the current recession. Over half a million young people were unemployed in February 2008. Now, around 900,000 young people are jobless. During 2010, youth unemployment is likely to exceed 1 million.

This paper distinguishes between two groups of unemployed young people: the majority that are unemployed for a few months, and the growing minority (currently 130,000) that have been out of work for over a year. By December 2011, the number of long-term unemployed young people is likely to reach 350,000.

The Future Jobs Fund (FJF), announced in the 2009 Budget, aims to create 150,000 jobs between 2009 and 2011 for young people who have been out of work for 12 months.

This paper also distinguishes between different cities. Some cities, like Swindon and Milton Keynes, have seen a sharp increase in youth unemployment from a relatively low base. In other cities, like Hull and Barnsley, youth unemployment has increased on top of already-high stocks of unemployment.

This paper argues that the FJF is a short-term “sticking plaster” initiative and should therefore take a segmented, targeted approach:
• The FJF should focus on unemployed young people that are most “work- ready” and closest to the labour market; and those cities that have seen the sharpest recent increase in unemployment.
• Jobs created through the FJF should be treated as “stepping-stones” towards permanent jobs.
• Young people that are furthest away from the labour market should be supported through other programmes such as the Flexible New Deal and Working Neighbourhoods Fund.

+ Direct link to document (PDF; 1 MB)

Foreclosures Lead to Homelessness for Many, Joint Report Finds
Source: National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC)

Nearly 80% of homeless service and advocacy agencies report that at least some of their clients became homeless as a result of a foreclosure, and one in five estimate that more than 40% of their clients became homeless because of a foreclosure. These data are among the results of a nationwide survey of local homeless providers conducted by national housing and homeless organizations and released as a joint report by the National Coalition for the Homeless, the National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC), the National Alliance to End Homelessness, the National Health Care for the Homeless Council, and other national organizations.

The report, titled Foreclosure to Homeless 2009: The Forgotten Victims of the Subprime Crisis, will be released at a press conference on Friday, June 26. Details are below.

The findings of the report are based on the survey responses of 178 local homeless service providers from all regions of the country. Respondents were asked to report the numbers of their clients who became homeless as a result of foreclosure, as well as about the coping strategies of families and the services and protections available to evicted families at the state and local levels.

The report also examines related factors that contribute to foreclosures and homelessness, including health care costs and whether or not the family has access to legal assistance. In addition, policy recommendations that would assist both homeowners and renters facing foreclosures are provided. An appendix lists survey questions and the names of local service providers that responded.

+ Foreclosure to Homelessness 2009: the Forgotten Victims of the Subprime Crisis (PDF; 1.9 MB)

Strategies and Models for Promoting Adolescent Vaccination for Low-Income Populations
Source: RAND Corporation

There is new and growing interest in adolescent immunization. Since 2005, three new vaccines for older children have been licensed in the United States and recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Although the majority of 13–17-year-olds have received recommended vaccines, rates remain below 2010 targets, and the coverage rates for low-income adolescents and minority youth are likely to be lower. The authors discuss barriers to expanded adolescent immunization and develop recommendations to address those barriers. Some recommendations — such as creating concrete, actionable, and active messaging for adolescents and their parents and fostering school accountability for administering vaccines — can be accomplished within the existing legal framework. Others — such as making parental consent time-enduring and administering consent through a Web portal — have tremendous potential to improve coverage rates among adolescents and children but require modernization of current consent laws.

+ Full Document (PDF; 5.5 MB)

Facts and Findings about Foreclosures, Families, and Communities
Source: Urban Institute

“The Impacts of Foreclosures on Families and Communities,” a new Urban Institute report, details what is known about how foreclosures adversely affect households and their neighborhoods — from children and the elderly to public safety and local property tax revenues. It also looks at policies, programs, and response strategies to prevent or mitigate the fallout.

The report, a comprehensive resource for local officials, advocates, and concerned laypeople, was motivated by the recognition that this decade may be the most tumultuous in the history of U.S. housing markets. Home prices skyrocketed from 2000 to 2006, while subprime loans and other factors propelled an expansion in homeownership. Then it all fell apart. Prices have plummeted, foreclosure rates have ballooned, and many communities have been walloped.

For instance, a 13-state analysis cited in the report found that a home’s value dropped 0.6 percent for each new foreclosure within one-eighth mile. A Chicago study forecast a 2.3 percent jump in a census tract’s violent crimes for each 1 percentage point increase in the foreclosure rate.

A second Urban Institute publication, “The Impacts of Foreclosures on Families and Communities: A Primer,” provides a handy scan of the research and policy landscape.

+ The Impacts of Foreclosures on Families and Communities: A Primer
+ The Impacts of Foreclosures on Families and Communities

Energy Efficiency and Fuel Poverty
Source: House of Commons Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee
From the Introduction:

The Government defines fuel poverty as occurring when a household must spend more than 10% of its income on all household fuel use in order to maintain a satisfactory heating regime. Having set targets to reduce fuel poverty the Government showed progress up until 2003–04 but, following the rise in energy prices, then the trend reversed.

Britain sees 25,000–40,000 more deaths in winter than the summer months. This phenomenon is not unique to the UK but the variation is higher than for other European countries with similar (or colder) climates and living standards. In England, mortality rates are 19% higher in the winter than in the summer. This compares to 10% in Finland, 11% in Germany and 14% in Austria. The low energy efficiency level of many English homes is a factor in the UK figure.

The Second Destitution Tally: an indication of the extent and causes of asylum seekers, people at the end of the asylum process and refugees in the UK
Source: Asylum Support Partnership (via Refugee Council)

This report reveals the extent and causes of destitution for people seeking asylum and refugees across the UK, and proposes solutions for implementation by policy makers and administrators of the asylum system. It is a repeat of the first Destitution Tally conducted by the Asylum Support Partnership in 2007 and published in January 2008 which demonstrated the extent of destitution among asylum seekers and refugees accessing their One Stop Services across the UK. In October 2008 the Partnership agencies repeated the survey to demonstrate the persistence of destitution as a feature of the lives of asylum seekers and refugees and their independent advice services, and to understand further its extent and causes.Between the 1st and 31st of October 2008, case workers from the 5 refugee agencies which comprise the Partnership completed a short survey for each client contact episode, recording the proportion of the people who were destitute. The survey results were collated and are presented in this report alongside existing research recommendations. It recommends a range of policy and operational solutions to end destitution as a feature of the UK asylum system.

+ Direct link to document (PDF; 453.7 KB)

Cost Sharing In Medicaid And CHIP: How Does It Affect Out-Of-Pocket Spending?
Source: Health Affairs

Rapidly rising spending has prompted debate about increasing cost sharing in Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). In this paper we assess the role of cost sharing in Medicaid and the CHIP and its potential financial burden on low-income families with children. We find that many families would face high health spending burdens even with minimal cost sharing for their publicly insured children. Adding even modest cost sharing for such children could greatly increase high financial burdens. Our results also suggest that implementing income-based caps on family spending can help address the burden of high spending for low-income families.

Households Below Average Income - An analysis of the income distribution 1994/95–2007/08
Source: Department of Work and Pensions

The latest national statistics on Households Below Average Income (HBAI) produced by the Department for Work and Pensions were released on 7th May 2009 according to the arrangements approved by the UK Statistics Authority.

Statistics and commentary give an insight into the standard of living of the household population in the United Kingdom, focusing on the lower part of income distribution, for the period up to the end of 2007/08. The latest release updates the statistics previously released on 10/06/2008.
The key points from the latest release are:

Children – In 2007/08, there were 2.9 million children living in UK households with below 60 per cent of contemporary median net disposable household income Before Housing Costs and 4.0 million After Housing Costs. Compared to 2006/07, this represents no change on a BHC basis and 0.1m AHC. Compared to 1998/99, this represents a fall of 0.5m on a BHC basis and 0.4m AHC.

Working-age adults – In 2007/08, there were 5.6 million working-age adults living in UK households with below 60 per cent of contemporary median net disposable household income Before Housing Costs, and 7.5 million After Housing Costs. Compared to 2006/07, this represents a rise of 0.2m on both a BHC and an AHC basis. Compared to 1998/99, this represents a rise of 0.6m on a BHC basis and 0.8m AHC.

Pensioners – In 2007/08, there were 2.5 million pensioners living in UK households with below 60 per cent of contemporary median net disposable household income Before Housing Costs, and 2.0 million After Housing Costs. Compared to 2006/07, this represents no change on a BHC or an AHC basis. Compared to 1998/99, this represents a fall of 0.2m on a BHC basis and 0.9m AHC.

+ Full Document (PDF; 1.1MB)

Measuring Poverty in the United States
Source: National Center for Children in Poverty

This fact sheet discusses how the U.S. government measures poverty, why the current measure is inadequate, and what alternative ways exist to measure economic hardship.

Child poverty in Scotland: taking the next steps
Source: Joseph Rowntree Foundation

Child poverty has fallen in Scotland, but evidence from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation suggests that the current rate of progress will not achieve the 2020 target to eradicate child poverty. Some policy measures required to reduce child poverty (such as benefit increases) are not devolved powers, but the Scottish Government could do more to remove barriers to employment, sustain people in work and tackle low pay.

The Scottish Government should consider:

• Encouraging employers to create more flexible jobs which allow parents to combine work and care responsibilities.
• Increasing access to affordable, flexible childcare.
• Providing in-work support and advice to help parents remain in employment.
• Defining a Scottish living wage, and commit to paying this to public sector employees.

+ Full Document (PDF; 210 KB)

Hat tip: JP

Social protection and social inclusion 2008: EU indicators (PDF; 1.3 MB)
Source: European Commission Directorate-General for Employment and Social Affairs

In the coming decades, the size and age-structure of Europe’s population will continue to undergo dramatic changes due to low fertility rates, increases in life expectancy and the retirement of the baby-boom generation. Member States have started to address the demographic challenge in a context of tight fiscal constraints.

The situation with public finances in the EU has deteriorated in a number of countries since 2000. Debt ratios in 2007 remained above the 60% of GDP threshold in Belgium, Germany, Greece, France, Italy, Hungary, Portugal, Cyprus and Malta. Reforms have had a significant impact in BE and EL (where, however, the debt ratio still remains close to 85% or more), and in CY and MT, where the debt ratio is expected to fall below the 60% threshold in the coming two years.

Pensions and health care functions that mostly benefit elderly people are most likely to be affected by the expected ageing of the population. According to Eurostat projections - EUROPOP2008 convergence scenario - the age structure of the EU population will change dramatically. By 2060, in the EU people in age of working (15- to 64-year-olds) will be 50 million less than in 2008, while the number of people aged 65 and over will increase by nearly 67 million. The old-age dependency ratio, i.e. the number of people aged 65 years and above relative to those between 15 and 64, is projected to double, reaching 53.5% in 2060. This means that the four working-age people to each pensioner in 2008 will drop to two to one by 2060.

Ageing is a consequence of the positive fact that life expectancy has continued to increase. In the EU-27, both men and women have gained approximately 4 years in life expectancy over the last 20 years. Significant increases in life expectancy at the age of 45 (around +2.5 years for men and +2.2 years for women between 1996 and 2006) and at the age of 65 (around +2 years for men and women) indicate that gains in life expectancy are more and more happening due to improvements in survivorship of older people. The challenge is now for social protection systems to ensure that people are living and working longer in good health, not only to improve the well-being of citizens but also to help maintain a healthy workforce and to limit increases in expenditure on health and long-term care in old age.

On Intra-Annual Poverty in the U.S.: Prevalence, Causes and Response to Food Stamp Program Use
Source: University of Minnesota, Department of Applied Economics, Staff Papers

Poverty measurement with data whose reference period is one year masks family exposure to poverty that only lasts for part of the year. We use quarterly expenditure data and decomposable severity of poverty indexes to quantify consumption-based intra-annual poverty, determine its causes and its response to federal food assistance. Results show that twice as many households are poor for at least one quarter then would be classified as poor with annual consumption data. Severity indexes indicate that intra-annual poverty accounts for over one third of the total annual severity of poverty. The common determinants of intra-annual and annual poverty include low human capital, unemployment and minority status. Changes in family size during the year affect intra-annual but not annual poverty. We also find evidence that food stamp program use reduces intra-annual poverty.

+ Full Paper (PDF; 154 KB)

WIC and the Battle Against Childhood Overweight
Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service

One of the most worrisome aspects of the growing tide of obesity in the United States is the high rate of overweight among children. Over one in five young children, ages 2 to 5, are at risk of being overweight. The number of children at risk of being overweight has grown in the past two decades, as has the number of young children whose families participate in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). Are these increases connected? The answer appears to be “No.” However, being from a low-income family, especially a low-income, Mexican-American family, does raise the probability of a child’s being at risk for overweight. This brief examines trends in the relationship between WIC participation and weight status by updating the results of Food and Nutrition Assistance Programs and Obesity: 1976-2002 (ERR-48) to include data from the 2003-2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).

+ Full Document (PDF; 286 KB)