ABSTRACT

Welfare conditionality, where income support payments are tied to prescribed activities or alternatively good behaviour, has intensified in recent years. The toughest form of conditional welfare is arguably compulsory income management (IM), which involves the quarantining of between 50 and 90 per cent of a participant’s benefit payment for spending on food, rent, and other essential items in order to reduce substance abuse, and enhance socially responsible behaviour particularly around the care of children. This qualitative study examines the views of IM participants and community stakeholders in the BasicsCard sites of Greater Shepparton and Playford. Findings are presented regarding practical experiences of IM, including financial management; the socio-emotional impacts of IM; and whether IM has addressed key program objectives. It is concluded that the social harms of IM outweigh any perceived benefits and may particularly disadvantage already vulnerable groups such as women and Indigenous Australians.

IMPLICATIONS

• Compulsory IM contains significant hidden harms, including social stigma and shame, and does not seem to be an effective means of addressing chronic social problems.

• A voluntary targeted IM scheme may have more utility, particularly if allied with a suite of complementary holistic support services.

摘要

近年来，福利条件越来越严格，其中收入支持支付与规定的活动或良好行为挂钩。最严格的有条件福利形式可以说是强制性收入管理 (IM)，它涉及隔离参与者用于食品、房租和其他必需品支出的福利支付的 50% 至 90%，以减少药物滥用，以及加强对社会负责的行为，尤其是在照顾儿童方面。这项定性研究考察了 IM 参与者和社区利益相关者在 Greater Shepparton 和 Playford 的 BasicsCard 站点中的观点。调查结果介绍了有关 IM 的实践经验，包括财务管理；IM 的社会情感影响；以及 IM 是否解决了关键的计划目标。

影响

• 强制性 IM 包含显着的隐性危害，包括社会耻辱感和耻辱感，似乎不是解决慢性社会问题的有效手段。

• 一个自愿的有针对性的 IM 计划可能会有更多的效用，特别是如果与一套互补的整体支持服务相结合。