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.