Content or Discontent? Perceptions of Social Protection in France Germany and the United Kingdom

What factors influence satisfaction with social protection? This report investigates differences in perceptions of social protection across countries with a focus on France using novel data from the OECD's Risks that Matter Survey. Compared to respondents in Germany and the United Kingdom French respondents are systematically the least satisfied with social protection in their country even as France performs well on many social programme outcome indicators. This report explores a range of different factors influencing perceptions of social protection including individual risk perceptions; the shape size and cost of social programmes; frictions in application and service delivery in social programmes; and socio-economic and cultural factors.