Indicators of Welfare Dependence: Annual Report to Congress 2007

The Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation authored the Annual Report to Congress for 2007 on Indicators of Welfare Dependence. Welfare dependence is defined as the proportion of individuals that receive more than half of their total income in one year from TANF, food stamps and/or SSI. This report provides welfare dependence indicators through 2004 and offers information on the changes in dependence since the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act of 1996. In 2004, 3.7 percent of the total population was dependent on assistance from these programs, which is significantly lower than the 5.2 percent rate measured in 1996.