Poverty exposure and poverty persistence for large families in Western Europe. A dynamic perspective

Abstract This paper investigates income poverty in 14 Western European countries from 2004 to 2019, utilizing European statistics on income, social inclusion and living conditions longitudinal data. The study employs descriptive tables and panel regression models to examine poverty exposure and accumulation of poverty events over time for families with dependent children with a focus on large families with three and four or more children. The findings reveal that in all countries the reiteration of poverty spells, net of persistence dynamics, primarily results from higher risks for large families of falling back into poverty. The analysis shows large families experience carousels of poverty reoccurrence, especially among single‐earner households. All in all, analyses suggest the necessity for integrated social policies for large families, combining timely social transfers to mitigate current spells of poverty, with mid‐term follow‐up programs in the form of preventive measures tailored to families with recent poverty experiences.