Social safety net

A set of public programs that protect people from poverty and economic risks such as unemployment, illness, disability, and old age.

Social insurance: Public programs that pool contributions or taxes to provide benefits when covered risks occur. It supplies benefits such as pensions and unemployment support through shared risk pooling.
Progressive taxation: A tax system in which higher incomes face higher tax rates. It can finance redistribution and public benefits with a larger share from higher earners.
Universalism: The principle that public services or benefits should be available to everyone in a defined population. Universal provision avoids the income screening that characterizes targeted parts of the safety net.
Poverty reduction: A decline in the share or severity of people living below a defined poverty threshold. Transfers and services are commonly assessed by how much they reduce poverty.
Social Security (United States): A United States federal program providing retirement, disability, and survivor benefits, chiefly financed by payroll taxes. It is a major example of contributory public protection against old age and loss of a wage earner.
Means-tested benefit: A public benefit restricted by an assessment of a recipient's income, assets, or both. It directs assistance toward people with limited resources rather than relying on contribution records.
Automatic stabilizer: A fiscal policy feature that offsets economic fluctuations without new legislative action. Benefits and tax revenues can automatically support household income when employment and earnings fall.
Residual welfare model: A welfare-state approach that limits public assistance largely to people unable to meet needs through markets or families. It treats public provision as a backstop, unlike systems built around broad social rights.
Income inequality: The unequal distribution of income among individuals or households in a population. Taxes and transfers can change how widely income is distributed after government intervention.
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program: A United States means-tested program that helps eligible low-income households buy food. It addresses food insecurity through targeted assistance rather than a cash pension or insurance benefit.

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