Study on the effectiveness of the EU Member States' child benefits

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What is the issue?

Social protection for children is increasingly recognised as critical for reducing poverty and promoting equitable outcomes. Evidence shows that child benefits play a significant role in improving financial stability for families, leading to better physical and mental health for children, enhanced educational outcomes, and greater social cohesion. However, the design and impact of child benefits vary widely across EU Member States, reflecting differences in socioeconomic profiles, policy objectives and investment priorities.

Child benefit systems differ in their balance between cash and in-kind support, eligibility criteria and benefit levels. While previous studies have examined the role of social protection in general, there is a lack of comprehensive, EU-wide analysis focused specifically on child benefits. Existing research highlights the potential of these benefits to reduce poverty and improve outcomes but often does not capture the diversity of approaches across the Member States, or systematically identify best practices and challenges.

This study aims to address these gaps by assessing the design, implementation and effectiveness of child benefits across the EU. It seeks to provide a comprehensive comparative analysis that identifies commonalities, differences and opportunities for improving the impact of child benefit systems to better serve children and families.

How are we helping?

The European Commission’s Directorate General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion (DG EMPL) has commissioned a consortium led by RAND Europe to conduct a comprehensive study on child benefits across the EU. This study aims to fill knowledge gaps and identify strengths and challenges in the effectiveness of child benefits in EU Member States, including the following strands of work:

Mapping the features of the child benefit policies implemented throughout the 27 EU Member States.
Assessing the impact of child benefits on the reduction of child poverty, as well as on other relevant variables.
Comparing the efficiency of the various models of child benefits and exploring the effects of possible reforms.
Estimating the monetary returns generated by child benefits.