Universal Child Benefits in Europe and Central Asia

Highlights

Universal Child Benefits have recently gained prominence as a potential policy tool to reduce child poverty, boost child development and support overall social and economic progress. A Universal Child Benefit (UCB) rests on three principles: predictability, unconditionality and universality. It should be noted that several countries in Europe and Central Asia provide universal birth grants, but these are not considered as UCBs as they are a one-off payment.