social safety net
Government support programs
A social safety net is the collection of government programs designed to protect people from poverty and hardship—unemployment insurance, food assistance, housing subsidies, healthcare programs, and the like.
The metaphor suggests catching those who fall on hard times: Without a social safety net, one medical crisis can lead to homelessness.
The term often appears in political debates about the proper scope of government support.
Benefits for displaced workers
- disability benefitsPayments for those unable to work
- food stampsSubsidized grocery purchasing vouchers
- SNAPFederal nutrition assistance
- TANFFederal cash assistance program
subsidized housing · childcare assistance · pension funds · veterans benefits · public assistance · housing assistance · free clinics · nutrition programs
Government-funded citizen support system
- means-testedContingent on financial status
- entitlementsLegally guaranteed benefits
- eligibilityState of meeting criteria
- benefitsGains or helpful effects
subsidies · redistribution · taxation · government spending · reform · austerity · public spending · poverty line
Contractual risk coverage
- bufferProtective intermediate space
- safeguardPrecaution against harm
- fallbackAlternative if primary fails
- guaranteeFormal promise of fulfillment
cushion · backstop · security · stability · assurance · shield · backup · prevention
Severe lack of resources
- hardshipSuffering from difficult circumstances
- unemploymentBeing without paid work
- homelessnessLacking permanent residence
- disabilityImpairment affecting life activities
illness · job loss · economic downturn · recession · crisis · emergency · food insecurity · eviction
Unity among allies
- mutual aidCooperative community support
- collective responsibilityShared blame among members
- civic dutyObligation owed to community
- commonsShared community resources
cooperative · shared risk · interdependence · public good · communal support · neighborhood networks · charitable organizations · volunteerism
unemployment insurance
Benefits for displaced workers
- disability benefitsPayments for those unable to work
- food stampsSubsidized grocery purchasing vouchers
- SNAPFederal nutrition assistance
TANF · subsidized housing · childcare assistance · pension funds · veterans benefits · public assistance · housing assistance · free clinics · nutrition programs · homeless shelters
welfare state
Government-funded citizen support system
- means-testedContingent on financial status
- entitlementsLegally guaranteed benefits
- eligibilityState of meeting criteria
benefits · subsidies · redistribution · taxation · government spending · reform · austerity · public spending · poverty line · income threshold
insurance
Contractual risk coverage
- bufferProtective intermediate space
- safeguardPrecaution against harm
- fallbackAlternative if primary fails
guarantee · cushion · backstop · security · stability · assurance · shield · backup · prevention · relief
poverty
Severe lack of resources
- hardshipSuffering from difficult circumstances
- unemploymentBeing without paid work
- homelessnessLacking permanent residence
disability · illness · job loss · economic downturn · recession · crisis · emergency · food insecurity · eviction · medical bankruptcy
solidarity
Unity among allies
- mutual aidCooperative community support
- collective responsibilityShared blame among members
- civic dutyObligation owed to community
commons · cooperative · shared risk · interdependence · public good · communal support · neighborhood networks · charitable organizations · volunteerism · reciprocity
- Nordic Policywelfare state, universal healthcare, parental leave, gender equality, free education
- Nordic welfareuniversal healthcare, welfare state, Sweden, Denmark, Norway
- public benefitsunemployment benefits, disability, health benefits, pension plan, welfare rights
- social aidpublic welfare, public aid, government aid, assistance programs, aid programs
- Social Democracywelfare state, mixed economy, Labour Party, reformism, gradualism
- social insuranceunemployment insurance, workers compensation, disability benefits, retirement benefits, public pensions
social safety netrugged individualism
Philosophy of personal independence
survival of the fittest · self-reliance · neoliberalism · austerity · sink or swim
social safety netno safety net
social safety netmutual aid
Cooperative community support
almsgiving · family support · noblesse oblige · GoFundMe · self-insurance
social, safety, society, sociable, socialism, antisocial, socialist, socialize, societies