Social aid: nearly 30% of eligible French people do not ask for their aid

It turns out that 30% of French people entitled to social assistance do not seem to ask for it from their CAF.

For some time now, the government has been trying to raise awareness of the aid available from CAF. Another 30% of people who are eligible for social assistance do not seem to ask for it. Most of the time it remains clear, because they don't know the aids . Or else, that they do not think they are eligible for the latter. However, this aid granted remains a real asset in the fight against poverty in France .

Many experts worried

It seems that this phenomenon of don't ask for help to which citizens are nevertheless entitled does not remain something French. It happens that in many European countries, available aid never seems to be requested by some of the beneficiaries. . A sad observation that Emmanuel Macron aimed during his campaign as a phenomenon of ' magnitude ”. So this Tuesday, December 13, many experts in the field have come together to discuss this subject.

Among the experts, we find Fabrice Lenglart the director of the Department of research, studies, evaluation and statistics DREES. He therefore stated that “ Studies on the non-use of solidarity benefits show the extent of the phenomenon ”. Thus, this desire to achieve that all those entitled to social assistance request them remains very important. This remains a major factor of poverty in France. He states that it is ' a key issue in the fight against poverty ”.

The DREES then made sad observations. The rate of people not applying for the social assistance to which they are entitled remains very high. In all, the DREES estimates that more than 30% of legal beneficiaries do not apply for social assistance . For the year 2018, the rate seemed to be 34% of people entitled to RSA did not receive it . In all, this still represented 600,000 households. And for the minimum old age, it was even worse. This help, which is far too little known, one in two people did not ask for it.

Social aid far too little requested

Also, if the French do not ask for the social aid to which they are entitled, it remains more a lack of information than a lack of will. For example, the minimum old age remains largely unknown to retirees. While yet, it allows everyone to have a minimum monthly income . But the French are clearly not the only ones in this case. The Observatory's research fellow said that ' The French case is far from exceptional ”, “ We regularly reach 30% ” for European countries . And that only from people who don't ask for their help.

Indeed, many studies have already been conducted on the non-use of social assistance. And in 2017, a European study revealed that if 29% did not ask for them in Finland, in Belgium, the rate exploded to 46%.

So, if the observation is that social aid is not requested, we still need to know why. And we often find the same answers. “ L e lack of information on aid or organizations, overly complex procedures or fear of negative consequences (checks, loss of rights) ”. But that still needs to be done to find out.

The President's Promise

Emmanuel Macron had promised during his presidential campaign. He wanted to see the French take the social assistance to which they are entitled. He wanted to set up a solidarity at the source ”. Which means automatic payment of certain social benefits . A way to be sure that as many people as possible receive social assistance.

Source : The Obs