03 February 2009 – Publication of DWP research report 549
In-work poverty – a systematic review
Research published on 3rd February 2009 by the Department for Work and Pensions (Report 549) provides a comprehensive map of the research that has been undertaken on barriers to, and facilitators of reducing in-work poverty in families with dependent children. It also synthesizes findings from 18 studies looking at the effectiveness of financial interventions with the potential to reduce in-work poverty in couple families with children. The study includes both UK and international evidence.
The findings from this report indicate:
- On the basis of the studies included in this report there is no conclusive answer to the policy question about definitive solutions to the problem of in-work poverty
- The synthesis suggests that financial interventions have neither attracted more second earners into employment nor encouraged two parent families to work longer hours
- Since the review relies on proxy outcomes for poverty, there are limitations on how far the selected studies in the synthesis can be used to inform effective solutions to in-work poverty
- These limitations mean that financial interventions cannot be dismissed as unsuccessful for couple families with children
- The review highlights the need for further research amongst couple families with children. In particular, quantitative work that examines the relationship between financial intervention and changes to household income that take full account of behavioural responses to reforms and the interactions between different means tested benefits or payments. This further needs to be supplemented by rigorous qualitative research that unpacks the more subtle relationships.
Notes to Editors
This report (In–work poverty – a systematic review) provides a comprehensive map of the research that has been undertaken on the barriers to and facilitators of reducing in-work poverty in families with dependent children. It also synthesizes 18 studies looking at the effectiveness of financial interventions with the potential to reduce in-work poverty in couple families with children. The report was produced by the Eppi Centre, Institute of Education at the University of London.
Research Report 549 – In-work poverty – a systematic review is published on 3 February 2009. Due to the size of the technical appendices the report is only being made available on the DWP website.
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Prepared by: Department for Work and Pensions Strategy Unit
