There has also been greater attention to micro-level survey datasets to obtain information about individuals’ consumption and saving behaviour. Of course, these more detailed data present new challenges in terms of identifying signals from noisier data.
Contrary to the American system, these countries provide relatively large social assistance of the last resort. Income transfers are primarily oriented to people in working age and active measures to help the unemployed to get jobs are important. Schemes that link access to benefits to regular employment are used. In the Nordic Model unemployment benefits are generous and comprehensive.