The first long term causal evaluation of unconditional cash transfers to poor families

This project advances 2 key areas: providing a comprehensive, long-term evaluation of Unconditional Cash Transfers (UCTs) effectiveness and enriching literature on childhood interventions. In the late 1930s, Sweden implemented and substantial national UCT program aimed at impoverished widows with children.

Eligibility for the Swedish UCT program was determined based on income and family size. After at threshold of 1000 SEK, the UCT was gradually phased out.

We can apply kinked regression discontinuity design to the SEK 1,000 SEK threshold, comparing groups around this kink point and detect changes in outcomes — such as health, educational attainment — to changes in benefit levels.

For the 2nd part of the project, we estimate the response function for an intervention for different ages.