Social Policy and Poverty: Checking The Efficiency of The Social Assistance System in Poland

Abstract

The study examines distribution and impact of the transfers directed by definition to thelow income population (hereafter: the social assistance). During the period observedboth the volume and the number of recipients increased considerably. Those benefits appeared to be fairly effective as a tool preventing the non-poor from falling intopoverty and quite successful in supporting the poor in escaping from poverty. Most of the types of households exposed to higher than average risk of poverty are less likely to be discriminated in receiving social assistance. The analysis of behavioural response confirmed relatively high proportion of foregone income.