4.27 Public Assistance Support Services
Data on public assistance income sources have been collected in each survey year except 1968; sources generally include public assistance/welfare, Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC)/Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF), food stamps, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), and public housing. Users should be aware that not only is there considerable variation across years in the types of public assistance income sources for which data were collected but also that universes (all family members, any family member, respondent and spouse, respondent only, spouse only), reporting periods (past calendar year, previous 12 months, most recent month), and question wording can differ substantially from year to year. Table 4.27.1 presents these variations.
Beginning in 1978, data were collected on the number of months in the past year the respondent or husband/partner received each type of assistance. In 1978, 1983, and 1988–2001, respondents also reported the monthly average welfare (AFDC) income and monthly average SSI income they received.
Related Variables: From 1968 to 1973, two variables were constructed in each survey year: the percent of eligible welfare (AFDC) recipients in the respondent’s state of residence who were receiving welfare and the average monthly welfare (AFDC) payment for the respondent’s state of residence.
Survey Instruments: The “Assets and Income” or “Income” sections of the questionnaires contain the questions on public assistance income sources.
| User Notes: NLS interviews also collect data on Unemployment Insurance, Workers’ Compensation, Disability, and Social Security; none of these sources of income are considered here as part of “public assistance.” The “Social Security & Disability” section of this guide describes some of these additional income sources. |
Table 4.27.1 Public Assistance Questions by Survey Year, Type of Assistance, Reference Period & Universe
|
|
Type of
Assistance |
|
|
||||
|
Survey Year |
AFDC/TANF |
Welfare /
Public Asst. |
Food Stamps |
SSI / Public
Assistance |
Public Housing |
Reference
Period |
Universe |
|
1969 |
-- |
R01134. |
-- |
-- |
-- |
Past Calendar Year |
Family
Members |
|
1970 |
-- |
R01932. |
-- |
-- |
-- |
Previous 12 Months |
Family
Members |
|
1971 |
-- |
R03088. |
-- |
-- |
-- |
Previous 12 Months |
Family
Members |
|
1972 |
-- |
R03926. |
-- |
-- |
-- |
Previous 12 Months |
Family
Members |
|
1973 |
-- |
R04752. |
-- |
-- |
-- |
Previous 12 Months |
Family
Members |
|
1975 |
-- |
R05334. |
-- |
-- |
-- |
Previous 12 Months |
Family
Members |
|
1977 |
-- |
R05835. |
R05836. |
-- |
-- |
Previous 12 Months |
R/Family
Members |
|
1978 |
R06752. |
-- |
R06748. |
R06755. |
-- |
Previous 12 Months |
R/Husband |
|
1980 |
-- |
R07485. |
R07482. |
-- |
-- |
Previous 12 Months |
R/Husband |
|
1982 |
-- |
R07956. |
R07953. |
-- |
-- |
Previous 12 Months |
R/Husband |
|
1983 |
R09079. |
-- |
R09076. |
R09082. |
-- |
Previous 12 Months |
R/Husband/Partner |
|
1985 |
-- |
R10482. |
R10479. |
-- |
-- |
Previous 12 Months |
R/Husband/Partner |
|
1987 |
-- |
R10943. |
R10940. |
-- |
-- |
Previous 12 Months |
R/Husband/Partner |
|
1988 |
R12021. |
-- |
R12018. |
R12024. |
-- |
Previous 12 Months |
R/Husband/Partner |
|
1991 |
R13344. |
-- |
R13341. |
R13347. |
-- |
Previous 12 Months |
R/Husband/Partner |
|
1993 |
R15155. |
-- |
R15152. |
R15158. |
-- |
Previous 12 Months |
R/Husband/Partner |
|
1995 |
R33968.-R33970. |
-- |
R33965.-R33967. |
R33971.-R33973. |
R33822. |
Previous
12 Months |
R/Husband/Partner |
|
1997 |
R41618.-R41620. |
-- |
R41615.-R41617. |
R41621.-R41623. |
R41472. |
Previous
12 Months |
R/Husband/Partner |
|
1999 |
R51207.-R51209. |
-- |
R51204.-R51206. |
R51210.-R51212. |
R51054. |
Previous
12 Months |
R/Husband/Partner |
| 2001 | R62130.-R62132. | -- | R62127.-R62129. | R62133.-R62135. | R61986. | Previous 12 Months | R/Husband/Partner |
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