Cap the accumulated social minimum, establish hours of general utility to the beneficiaries of RSA, increase eligibility for foreigners … the proposals of the European Affairs Minister Laurent Wauquiez, stated on Sunday RMC and BFM TV, raised an outcry among the left and associations.
How does the RSA?
Created in 2009 by Martin Hirsch, then High Commissioner for Active Solidarity, the Revenu de solidarité active (RSA) is divided between an amount of "base" (466.99 euros this year), paid to a person who does not work and the "RSA activity" that complements a low wage. Its amount decreases gradually as the wage increases.
A recipient of the RSA is required to follow the actions of insertion and can not refuse more than two reasonable offers of employment as defined in the custom project.In 2010, 1.8 million people have benefited from the RSA.
What is the maximum amount currently received by a beneficiary?
There is no ceiling to the total tested benefits enshrined in law. But in fact, adding the main aid, some stand out maximum amounts. Thus, by combining the RSA and housing assistance (which varies depending on the rent and the circumstances of the person and can reach 298 euros per month), a single person without children can receive up to 709 euros per month. A couple whose members are inactive can, in turn, affect up to 945 euros per month. This is indeed a sum greater than 75% of net monthly minimum wage (804 euros), which is the maximum threshold of accumulated social minima proposed by Laurent Wauquiez.
But the people receiving the minimum wage have also, entitled to aid, such as housing allowance and a bonus for the job.A couple where one spouse earns the minimum wage can have an income of up to 1400 euros. Is a notable difference from a couple idle up to around 450 euros.
For pensioners, the situation is different: "It is possible that the minimum pension recipients who receive housing assistance affect maximum the same as a couple where one spouse works, says William Allegre, an economist at the OFCE specializes in social policy. At age 65, the problem of work incentives do not arise. The objective is to ensure that society older standard of living above poverty line ".
For these benefits, there are the "rights", very difficult to estimate, which are voluntary aid paid by local authorities.They cover areas as diverse as school meals, transport and access to sports facilities such as swimming.
Where is France?
For fifty years, the share of social benefits in French disposable income has jumped from 16.3% in 1960 to 30.8% in 2009, according to figures from INSEE. However, France is today the average of OECD countries: the main social assistance account for 59% of average earnings. By comparison, they reach 104% in Denmark, 84% Japan 83% in Ireland, Sweden 81% or 63% in Germany.
What would be the consequence of a ceiling on minimum social benefits?
The Minister of European Affairs would "cap the aggregate of all the social minimum to 75% of minimum wage, no more." "Talking cap is like trying to reduce aid," said Guillaume Allègre.But with a current unemployment rate to 9% this financial incentive would be ineffective, according to the Economist: "It would only ensure that the poor are poorer."
View shared by Christopher Noel, a lawyer specializing in labor law: "We know that in most cases, the problem is not economic but personal criteria: they are, for example, women with three or four children, of disabled or people with illnesses. A cap will change nothing but stigmatize the problem part of the population. "
Establish hours of general utility is it realistic?
In consideration of the RSA, Laurent Wauquiez proposes to introduce five hours weekly of general utility. "This is a proposal that raised more questions than it answers, answers Guillaume Allègre. It should create public jobs to oversee this work.In addition, follow a million people could create many administrative problems. " For the economist, between transport costs, any meal vouchers, travel difficulties for people with health problems and management costs, the proposal could be more costly than what it reported.
Master Christopher Noel also fears that the measure is ineffective: a mother or a person with a health problem will always be so difficult to get to work. "If people refuse, is that they remove their social minimum? In this case, is what it will create another minimum, even lower? Guillaume Allègre also questioned.Finally, what activities will be considered public utilities? And why not create public jobs for them? "
Finally, the proposal is largely "symbolic," concludes Guillaume Allegre: "Making lives more difficult for economically inactive people who work are more satisfied."
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