When One Is Not Enough: Exploring the Intersection of Multiple Public Benefits and Multiple Material Hardships in Low-Income Single-Mother Families

Background and Aims

Single-mother families in the United States face vulnerability due to factors such as insufficient income, unstable employment, and the scarcity of affordable childcare. Creating effective interventions for this group requires understanding participation in multiple support programs and how it relates to material hardships. This study addresses a gap in this understanding by exploring (1) how low-income single mothers combine different programs to create benefit packages, (2) the prevalent forms of material hardships, and (3) the relationship between multiple program participation and material hardships among low-income single mothers. The resulting insights have significant implications for policies to address the needs of this vulnerable population.

Method

We used the 2008 panel (Waves 1­-9) of the Survey of Income and Program Participation. The sample consisted of 1,347 single mothers aged 18-64 living with at least one related child under 18 on a family income below 200% of the federal poverty line at Wave 1. Participation in 10 welfare programs (i.e., TANF, SSI, GA, SNAP, Medicaid, WIC, school lunch program, housing assistance, UI) was measured between Waves 1-6. Material hardships across four domains (food, medical, unmet basic needs, and housing) were assessed at Wave 9. We used cluster analysis to explore patterns of multiple program participation and logistic regression to examine the relationships between program participation clusters and material hardships. This novel approach provides crucial evidence for future benefit policymaking to optimize state and federal programs to alleviate hardships.

Results ­

Four program participation groups emerged: Many Benefits, Moderate Benefits, Only School Meal, and No Benefits. Food hardship and unmet basic needs were highest among the Many Benefits group (43.17% and 51.09%, respectively). Despite participating in the greatest number of programs, this group still experienced the hardships that public benefits are designed to alleviate. Two-thirds of the Moderate Benefits groups reported at least one material hardship even after receiving benefits. Single mothers in the Only School Meal group experienced less material hardships on average. Single mothers in the No Benefits group had the lowest rate of material hardships of any group. The logistic regression analyses indicated that the Many Benefits group was more likely than the other groups to experience food hardship, unmet basic needs, and any hardship.

Conclusion

This study identified multiple benefit program participation patterns across 10 different benefits and how they were associated with multiple material hardships among low-income single-mother families. Our results suggest multiple program participation is common—and insufficient to address families’ needs. Receiving multiple benefits did not protect the Many Benefits group from significant unmet basic needs, indicating current benefit packages are inadequate. We suggest that this is attributable to the low benefit level of food-related programs and access barriers to other programs, including housing and energy assistance and cash benefits. Governments should ensure that eligible persons understand and can access benefits, as many families do not utilize the benefits for which they are eligible. Strengthening the safety net to safeguard the health and economic security of single-mother families and their vulnerable children is likewise essential.