Social benefits

Social benefits are all benefits allocated within the social security framework. They are either financial benefits intended to ensure that individuals or households receive an income, or benefits in kind (services and subsidies). In principle, social benefits are governed by social legislation. Social insurance benefits are allocated regardless of the situation and individual needs of recipients. They are mainly financed by the contributions paid by employers and the persons insured (income-related social security benefits). Means-tested social benefits are benefits made according to individual requirements and are allocated to persons unable to meet their own basic needs. They are generally granted within the scope of public social assistance, based on an assessment of the person’s needs. To carry out this assessment, social services generally refer to guidelines from the Swiss Conference for Social Assistance (SCSA). Supplementary benefits to the OASI/IV form an exception among means-tested social benefits as the law ensures they will be paid. These supplementary benefits are, however, subject to certain income thresholds for which rental expenditure and health insurance premiums are taken into account. Social assistance in the broader sense includes government subsidies (especially those paid to hospitals), wages paid by the employer in the event of illness or maternity leave as well as assistance measures from the State or from private individuals.