This paper presents findings on the changing effectiveness of cash transfers and income taxes on inequality and poverty … reduction in four EU countries - the UK, Italy, Sweden and France. We use long time series (spanning four decades) to examine … relationship between the concentration of cash transfers net of direct taxes and their effectiveness in terms of reducing poverty …

reach a very small proportion of the households with incomes below a relative poverty line. Furthermore, the transfers are … characterized with very high non-take up and inclusion of non-entitled or non-poor recipients. Poverty rates decrease by a small … degree among benefit clients and yet, the impact is insufficient to affect overall poverty, or for the benefits to achieve …

a very small proportion of the households with incomes below a relative poverty line. Furthermore, the transfers are … characterized with very high non-take up and inclusion of non-entitled or non-poor recipients. Poverty rates decrease by a small … degree among benefit clients and yet, the impact is insufficient to affect overall poverty, or for the benefits to achieve …