The targeting effectiveness of social transfers

Devereux, Stephen; Masset, E.; Sabates-Wheeler, Rachel; Samson, M.; Rivas, Althea-Maria; te Lintelo, D.

Abstract

Many methodologies exist for dividing a population into those who are classified as eligible for social transfers and those who are ineligible. Popular targeting mechanisms include means tests, proxy means tests, categorical, geographic, community-based and self-selection. This paper reviews empirical evidence from a range of social protection programmes on the accuracy of these mechanisms, in terms of minimising four targeting errors: inclusion and exclusion, by eligibility and by poverty. This paper also reviews available evidence on the various costs associated with targeting, not only administrative but also private, social, psycho-social, incentive-based and political costs. Comparisons are difficult, but all mechanisms generate targeting errors and costs. Given the inevitability of trade-offs, there is no ‘best’ mechanism for targeting social transfers. The key determinant of relative accuracy and cost-effectiveness in each case is how well the targeting mechanism is designed and implemented.

Citation

Devereux, S., Masset, E., Sabates-Wheeler, R., Samson, M., Rivas, A.-M., & te Lintelo, D. (2017). The targeting effectiveness of social transfers. Journal of Development Effectiveness, 9(2), 162-211. https://doi.org/10.1080/19439342.2017.1305981

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Mar 9, 2017
• Online Publication Date: Apr 13, 2017
• Publication Date: Apr 13, 2017
• Deposit Date: Jan 13, 2021
• Journal: Journal of Development Effectiveness
• Print ISSN: 1943-9342
• Electronic ISSN: 1943-9407
• Publisher: Taylor and Francis Group
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 9
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 162-211
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/19439342.2017.1305981
• Related Public URLs: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/19439342.2017.1305981?journalCode=rjde20
• Additional Information: Copyright Statement : © 2018 Taylor and Francis. This is the version of the article accepted for publication in Journal of Development Effectiveness published by Taylor and Francis https://doi.org/10.1080/19439342.2017.1305981 Accepted version downloaded from SOAS Research Online: http://eprints.soas.ac.uk/31956