The Active Solidarity Income (RSA) ensures a minimum level of income for those without resources, which varies according to household composition.
This mechanism is one of the most delicate and debated arguments in social policy: welfare dependency for some, the beginning of a universal income for others.
The departments responsible for implementing it criticize the growing expenses, which are far from being compensated by the state.
Some have implemented “active” policies to encourage the quickest possible return to work for beneficiaries and rigorous (sometimes too stringent) control of this benefit.
The Department of Alpes-Maritimes aims to be a prudent manager of this social benefit, and the figures demonstrate this – as noted by the President of the Departmental Council, Charles-Ange Ginésy: “I am proud that our policy is being used as an example by many other departments in France.”
The figures:
Over the past 5 years, nearly 750 million euros have been dedicated in total to the RSA.
As of June 30, 2019, there were 22,798 beneficiary households, a decrease of 4.5% over 12 months (1,065 fewer beneficiary households compared to June 2018). This figure is the lowest since 2012.
A high exit rate: over the past year, 36.8% of people who were on RSA in Alpes-Maritimes have exited (versus 30.1% on average for the Southern Region). For new entrants, the exit rate is 57.5% in Alpes-Maritimes (compared to 50.6% on average in the region).
In terms of employment support, innovative schemes for new RSA entrants, such as RSA Orientation Centers (more than 10,000 people received each year) or Job Flash (4,000 beneficiaries per year), are fully operational.
Since 2018, the new “Contact” program has been providing regular support to over 5,000 long-term RSA beneficiaries.
In parallel, since July, the Department has initiated a new support action for self-employed RSA beneficiaries, assisting them in developing their business activity or seeking salaried employment when their independent activity does not generate sufficient resources to exit from RSA. This action will benefit more than 600 people.
Additionally, an experimental action has been initiated to encourage voluntary engagement of RSA beneficiaries in supporting the elderly residents in nursing homes, thereby allowing beneficiaries to orient themselves towards personal care professions, which offer numerous employment opportunities.
