Work

Welfare accounts: Balancing fiscal responsibility and social justice?

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Globalisation, ageing and structural changes challenge social security systems in high-income countries. We explore welfare accounts as a social policy innovation, addressing a gap in the literature by summarising how welfare accounts function across countries. We contribute to the theoretical discussion on social security reforms by asking: could welfare accounts help address the growing fiscal strain and the carrying-capacity challenges posed by ageing populations? The comparative literature and structured expert interviews suggest that welfare accounts offer a socially just solution, as they do not impact those receiving social assistance or last-resort benefits. The strength of welfare accounts lies in flexibility: while comprehensive adoption of welfare accounts is not necessarily sensible, selective implementation could potentially help to address the challenges of ageing welfare states.

Source: European Journal of Social Security

DOI: 10.1177/13882627261446303

Authors: Johanna Peltoniemi, Heikki Hiilamo

Institution: University of Helsinki

Language: English

Topic: Social Policy and Reform Studies

Subfield: Political Science and International Relations

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Reduced inequalities

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,650