We study the labor supply and consumption responses to cash assistance delivered through the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) program in the United States. Exploiting a sharp increase in cash benefit generosity for low-income single-parent families in New Hampshire due to a legislative revision to payment calculations, we implement difference-in-differences and triple-differences to estimate the impacts of greater benefits on work behavior as well as on food expenditures and food security. Our results suggest that more generous cash assistance reduces labor supply among likely TANF-eligible individuals. At the same time, greater cash benefits increase household food spending and reduce the incidence of food insecurity. Our findings speak to individual and family responses to expanded cash assistance in an era in which cash welfare is at historically low levels, is time limited, and imposes work requirements.

中文翻译：

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扩大现金福利效应的准实验证据

我们研究了通过美国贫困家庭临时援助 (TANF) 计划提供的现金援助的劳动力供应和消费反应。由于对支付计算的立法修订，新罕布什尔州低收入单亲家庭的现金福利慷慨大幅增加，我们实施差异差异和三重差异来估计更大的福利对工作行为的影响以及粮食支出和粮食安全。我们的结果表明，更慷慨的现金援助会减少可能符合 TANF 资格的个人的劳动力供应。与此同时，更大的现金福利增加了家庭食品支出并减少了粮食不安全的发生率。