Conditionality vs. autonomy: What works best in social assistance?

We study the impacts of reducing conditionality for social assistance recipients through a field experiment in the Netherlands. Treated subjects received an exemption from job search requirements, monitoring, and sanctions or intensive counseling personalized to their needs and wishes. Our findings indicate that exemption increases employment and self-sufficiency, with effects that grow over time. The effects of counseling are smaller and not statistically significant. Using survey data, we find suggestive evidence of increased experienced autonomy, while we do not detect systematic effects on self-reported job search, social participation, health, or well-being. While the results should be interpreted with caution given a modest sample size, they provide novel experimental evidence on the role of autonomy and conditionality in social assistance.