The Impact of the Malawi Social Cash Transfer Programme on Financial Well-Being among People with and without Disabilities: A Disaggregated Analysis of a Cluster Randomized Control Trial

Abstract People with disabilities are frequently considered key target groups for social protection, given their heightened risk of poverty and exclusion. However, there is a lack of evidence on the impact of cash transfers among people with disabilities and their households. This study presents a disaggregated analysis of a cluster randomized control trial of the Malawi Social Cash Transfer (SCT) with two follow-ups. Overall, this study found that recipient households with and without members with disabilities experienced reduced poverty headcount and gap, increased total and per capita household consumption expenditures, and improved food security, with households with members with disabilities experiencing a differential impact on two of three indicators of food security. Further, SCT receipt was linked to increased participation in agricultural work among younger people with disabilities and increased participation in household work for people with mild disabilities and people without disabilities living in households with members with disabilities.