Oliver Hümbelin, Nadine Elsener, Olivier Tim Lehmann (2026)
This study examines the non-take-up of means-tested social benefits in the Canton of Basel-Stadt in 2022. The analysis focuses on three benefits that precede social assistance: health insurance premium reductions, family housing allowances, and supplementary benefits for old-age pensioners in privat housheolds. The empirical basis consists of linked tax, social benefit and population register data, complemented by survey information, allowing income, wealth and benefit receipt to be measured at the level of economic household units. The sample covers approximately 160,000 residents of the permanent population with sufficient data quality. As not all eligibility criteria can be fully observed—particularly with regard to asset transfers in supplementary benefits—the estimates rely on an updated eligibility simulation model.
The results indicate that 23% of those eligible do not claim health insurance premium reductions, 18% forgo family housing allowances, and 32% of potentially entitled old-age pensioners do not receive supplementary benefits. Compared to replication estimates for 2015, non-take-up has declined for family housing allowances and supplementary benefits, while a slight increase is observed for premium reductions. Substantial differences emerge across household types, age groups, nationality and residence status, and employment status. Couples without children and (partly) self-employed individuals show particularly high non-take-up rates. Moreover, non-take-up is more likely when household income is close to the eligibility threshold, suggesting that financial pressure plays a key role in benefit uptake.
Overall, the findings highlight the continued relevance of non-take-up even in a comprehensive welfare state and provide evidence to inform policy efforts aimed at improving access to and utilisation of means-tested benefits.
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