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The Contribution of Gifts to the Household Economy of Low-Income Families

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 February 2011

Sarah Taylor  and
Chris Warburton Brown
Sarah Taylor
Affiliation:
Department of Social Policy and Social Work, University of Oxford E-mail: sarah.taylor@socres.ox.ac.uk
Chris Warburton Brown
Affiliation:
Department of Urban Studies, University of Glasgow
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Abstract

Measurements of income at the household level have traditionally only recorded income received by household members. This has generally been reflected in qualitative research. However, using interview data from two studies of British mothers and children on low incomes, we find that for some, cash and in-kind transfers from family and friends outside the household form a significant proportion of household income. In some cases, income is doubled once gifts are included. Thus, gifts make a substantial contribution to living standards, both quantitatively and qualitatively. The implications of this finding for income measurement are discussed, and further research is recommended.

Type
Articles
Information
Social Policy and Society , Volume 10 , Issue 2 , April 2011 , pp. 163 - 175
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2011

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