Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/223926 
Year of Publication: 
2020
Series/Report no.: 
IZA Discussion Papers No. 13484
Publisher: 
Institute of Labor Economics (IZA), Bonn
Abstract: 
We evaluate the criminogenic effects of Universal Credit (UC), a monumental welfare reform designed to radically change the social security payment system in the United Kingdom. We exploit the UC rollout across constituencies using monthly data from 2010 to 2019 for England and Wales. We find UC has caused around 45,000 burglaries, with criminogenic effects lasting until the end of the sample period and expected to grow considerably by the time UC is fully rolled out when 6.5 million more individuals will use the system. The analysis suggests the worsening of benefit recipients' financial conditions as the key mechanism.
Subjects: 
universal credit
benefits
welfare system
crime
JEL: 
K14
K42
Document Type: 
Working Paper

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