Effects of social security resources and expenditure on income inequality in Iran

Income inequality poses a major social challenge, and expanding social security is a key strategy to combat it. This study examines how social security resources and expenditures affect income inequality in Iran from 1988 to 2020 using the structural vector autocorrelation (SVAR) model. The results reveal a nuanced relationship between social security inputs and income inequality. An increase in general insurance resource initially decreases inequality but later returns it to its original state. On the other hand, an uptick in unemployment insurance resources causes a brief increase in inequality before it declines. Expenditures in both general insurance and unemployment insurance tend to reduce income inequality, with general insurance having a more substantial effect. These findings suggest that increasing unemployment insurance resources requires careful management to avoid worsening income inequality, while investing in general insurance resources shows a stronger potential to reduce it. Social security expenditure can be a powerful tool for reducing income inequality in Iran when applied thoughtfully.