Federal and state policymakers are weighing changes to programs that help low-income people meet their basic needs for food, medical care, and shelter. As they consider these changes to the public safety net, policymakers have few tools to monitor trends in material hardship as the economy evolves and new policies take effect.
To fill this gap, the Urban Institute launched the Well-Being and Basic Needs Survey (WBNS) in December 2017 to track individual and family well-being at a time when the safety net faces transition. By assessing the ability of adults and their families to meet basic needs, the survey can provide a broader understanding of material well-being than income-based poverty indicators.
What does the survey entail?
The new annual survey is a key component of Urban’s From Safety Net to Solid Ground Initiative, supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and other foundations. The project offers insights into how proposed changes to programs such as Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program could affect the well-being of people striving to cover their basic needs.
The WBNS is a nationally representative survey of adults ages 18 to 64 that covers topics related to health, material hardship, and individual and family well-being, as well as the interaction of adults and their families with major safety net programs. The survey’s core domains include health status and health care, housing and neighborhoods, family income, program participation, food security, employment, and family financial security.
Publications
Research Briefs
Employment and Material Hardship among Adults with Long COVID in December 2022
July 20, 2023
Health Care Affordability Improved between 2019 and 2022 under Pandemic Health Coverage Policies
June 12, 2023
Improvements in Public Programs' Customer Service Experiences Could Better Meet Enrollees' Needs and Help Build Trust in Government
January 12, 2023
Customer Service Experiences and Enrollment Difficulties Vary Widely across Safety Net Programs
January 12, 2023
Lack of Awareness and Confusion over Eligibility Prevented Some Families from Getting Child Tax Credit Payments
August 3, 2022
Many Adults with Lower Income Prefer Monthly Child Tax Credit Payments
July 27, 2022
Access to Paid Leave Is Lowest among Workers with the Greatest Needs
July 14, 2022
Average Decline in Material Hardship during the Pandemic Conceals Unequal Circumstances
April 13, 2021
One in Five Adults in Immigrant Families with Children Reported Chilling Effects on Public Benefit Receipt in 2019
June 18, 2020
Amid Confusion over the Public Charge Rule, Immigrant Families Continued Avoiding Public Benefits in 2019
May 18, 2020
One in Six Adults in California Immigrant Families Reported Avoiding Public Benefits in 2019
May 18, 2020
On Eve of 2020 Census, Many People in Hard-to-Count Groups Remain Concerned about Participating
February 20, 2020
Who Is Accessing Charitable Food in America?
December 11, 2019
Safety Net Access in the Context of the Public Charge Rule
August 7, 2019
Adults in Immigrant Families Report Avoiding Routine Activities Because of Immigration Concerns
July 24, 2019
Precarious Work Schedules Could Jeopardize Access to Safety Net Programs Targeted by Work Requirements
June 11, 2019
One in Seven Adults in Immigrant Families Reported Avoiding Public Benefit Programs in 2018
May 22, 2019
Despite Labor Market Gains in 2018, There Were Only Modest Improvements in Families’ Ability to Meet Basic Needs
May 13, 2019
Financial Distress among American Families: Evidence from the Well-Being and Basic Needs Survey
February 14, 2019
Working to Make Ends Meet during Good Economic Times
February 14, 2019
What Explains the Widespread Material Hardship among Low-Income Families with Children?
December 20, 2018
Homeowner and Renter Experiences of Material Hardship: Implications for the Safety Net
November 1, 2018
Material Hardship among Nonelderly Adults and Their Families in 2017: Implications for the Safety Net
August 28, 2018
The Well-Being and Basic Needs Survey: A New Data Source for Monitoring the Health and Well-Being of Individuals and Families
August 28, 2018
Fact Sheets
One in Four Adults in Mixed-Status Families Did Not Participate in Safety Net Programs in 2022 Because of Green Card Concerns
August 17, 2023
Immigrant Families Continued Avoiding the Safety Net during the COVID-19 Crisis
February 1, 2021
Uno de Cada Siete Adultos en Familias Inmigrantes Se Abstuvo de Participar en Programas Sociales en el Año 2018
May 22, 2019
Wellness Check: Financial Instability Among Families with Infants and Toddlers
June 17, 2019
Wellness Check: Food Insecurity Among Families with Infants and Toddlers
June 13, 2019
Wellness Check: Material Hardship and Psychological Distress among Families with Infants and Toddlers
June 13, 2019
Blog Posts
Immigrant Families Hit Hard by the Pandemic May Be Afraid to Receive the Help They Need
May 19, 2020
Even Before the Coronavirus Outbreak, Hourly and Self-Employed Workers Were Struggling to Meet Basic Needs
March 20, 2020
New Data Show about 1 in 10 Adults Turns to Charitable Food Assistance
December 11, 2019
Five Ways the “Public Charge” Rule Is Affecting Immigrants in America
August 19, 2019
How Uncertainty Surrounding the “Public Charge” Rule Leads to Hardship for Immigrant Families
August 7, 2019
Unstable Work Patterns Challenge Compliance with Safety Net Work Requirements
June 13, 2019
Renters Are More Likely than Homeowners to Struggle with Paying for Basic Needs
October 31, 2018