social assistance
1
3.2
- noun
- /ˈsoʊʃəl əˈsɪstəns/
- Formal
:
asistencia social
- In particular, the federal government is substantially reducing financial transfers to provinces in the area of health, post-secondary education, and social assistance.
- social assistance programs
- level of social assistance
- informal social assistance
If you're disabled and you need social assistance, you are supposed to be poor.
- If you're disabled and you need social assistance, you are supposed to be poor.
Examples
-
We have had strong government unemployment insurance and social assistance programs.
Academic text (1996) -
But if that results in people being put out of work, onto social assistance, it isn't an effective long-term solution for society.
Fiction book (1992) -
Many were receiving social assistance, but it was never enough.
Academic text (2004) -
The new framework is based on eight specific industry sectors, with healthcare and social assistance being one of the eight sectors.
Academic text (2006) -
Australia will also need around 320,000 more health care and social assistance workers.
Blog text (16) -
Job growth was strong in retail trade, transportation and warehousing, and healthcare and social assistance.
Blog text (25) -
The remaining patients continued on disability and social assistance programs for the entire duration of follow-up.
Academic text (2014) -
Every unemployed person receives social assistance of $15,000 a year.
Blog text (22) -
Data show that the most important financial resources are income from employment and fishing, and to a lesser degree, income from social assistance programs administered by the state and federal governments.
Academic text (1992) -
Every unemployed person receives social assistance of $15,000 a year.
Synonyms
∞
2.3
Money or help from the government for people in need
685
1.2
A payment from the government or an employer to help people who need money
18
2.5
Government help for people who need money or basic services
16
2.5
Money the government gives to people who need help to pay basic living costs
A government payment that adds money to a person's income to reach the legal minimum
Money the government gives to people so they have enough to live
Antonyms
How Generous
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'government benefits paid to individuals or families' is directly inferable from combining 'social' (relating to society or public) and 'assistance' (support). This compositional pattern (support provided by society/government) is cross-linguistically common and follows transparent noun + noun/adj + noun semantics, so a B1 learner who knows the constituents will likely understand it.
Etymology
Social assistance comes from the simple idea of community help: social means 'from the community' and assistance means 'help'. Imagine neighbors giving money or food to someone who cannot pay their bills. So today social assistance means government help or payments to make sure people's income meets a basic level.