A social welfare system provides assistance to individuals and families in need. The types and amount of welfare available to individuals and families vary depending on the country, state, or region. In the U.S., the federal government provides grants to each state through the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program.
Social welfare systems provide assistance to individuals and families through programs such as health care, food stamps, unemployment compensation, housing assistance, and child care assistance. In the U.S., a caseworker is assigned to each individual or family applying for benefits to determine and confirm the applicant’s needs.
The benefits available to an individual vary by state. Eligibility is determined based on factors surrounding the person’s financial status and how it relates to the minimum acceptable levels within a particular state. The factors involved can include the size of the family unit, current income levels, or an assessed disability.
Within each state, social welfare systems may go by different names, but they often serve similar functions. This can cause confusion when attempting to compare one state’s program to another. Additionally, the requirements to qualify also vary, depending on the poverty line in a particular state. This allows for adjustments based on items such as cost of living that are not standardized across the country.