An empirical analysis of non-take up of social assistance for the elderly

The aim of the research project was to non-take-up of social assistance for the elderly. The analysis is based on the Socio-economic Panel (SOEP). Using a microsimulation model (STSM) developed at DIW Berlin, it was determined on the basis of survey data from the previous year (including income and property information, household context, living situation, health situation, household equipment) whether the households examined were in principle entitled to social assistance. In the next step, these simulations were compared with the information about take-up of social assistance in the SOEP. Based on this comparison, non-take-up rate were calculated.