我國貧窮線設定何以無法涵蓋實際貧窮人口─一個執行面的研究

社會救助低收入戶扶助，是國家基於憲法所揭無力生活者應予救濟與扶助之基本精神，以所得重分配手段，經過資產調查對於「被證實的需求」的貧窮者給予扶助照顧，為福利國家或社會安全制度所指的最後一道社會安全機制或網絡。我國社會救助法以照顧低收入戶並協助其自立為立法意旨。最低生活費（貧窮線）以及家庭總財產限額（排富條款）為進入列冊低收入戶的認定準據。長期以來，列冊低收入戶人户數占全國總人口或户數比率之貧窮率，處於偏低現象，與相關研究之推估貧窮率差距甚大，亦即未能涵蓋實際貧窮人口，讓生活陷於困境的貧窮者獲得國家的扶助與照顧。本文為探討臺灣貧窮率與社會貧窮現象的落差，從社會救助政策形成過程、社會救助制度與措施的發展、貧窮線制定、貧窮門檻規定、貧窮率與貧窮現象之乖離現象、貧窮資格認定實作過程、實作過程中執行者影響因素等，運用可支配所得與吉尼係數分別估算驗證，以及實作之基層執行者問卷調查研究等手段，逐一拆解與分析驗證結果為：單以最低生活費作為低收入戶資格認定之準據，貧窮率約為7%，與OECD多數國家相接近，顯然我國貧窮線並未偏低，貧窮率偏低並非貧窮線低所造成；而是受到家庭總財產限額（排富條款），以及低收入戶查定實作之執行因素的影響。本文依據研究探討過程，反思社會救助存在的問題，並建議：（一）全國統一制定一條貧窮線規定，回歸貧窮線制定及所得重分配的原則，以避免區域間分歧及困擾；生活補助再依照地區的消費水準之比例給付。（二）貧窮線採行相對貧窮的概念，以既定之計算模式，每年讓其按照經濟景氣及家庭收支調查結果上下移動，不須考慮已列冊者因新年度貧窮線之浮動的影響。（三）對於社會救助法中有關「直轄市、縣（市）政府定之，並報中央主管機關備查」的法律授權條文，基於保障人民社會權原則，宜由中央統一規定；有關「直轄市、縣（市）政府定之」的條文，如有因地制宜與分權治理的考量，以修正為「並報中央主管機關備查」，透過中央主管機關備查機制，檢視其與法規範之合宜性，以作為實作認定之準據，避免實作之分歧，並符合保障人民社會權原則。

關鍵字

貧窮線；貧窮率；社會救助；低收入戶

並列摘要

Title of Thesis:Why the Poverty Line is Unable to Cover the Entire Population in Need- an Analysis from Implementation in Taiwan. Name of Institute: Department of Public Policy and Administration, College of Humanities National Chi Nan University Pages：167 Graduation Time：07/2012 Degree Conferred：Master Student Name：Yuan-Long Chien Advisor Name：Dr.Jo-Yu Wu Abstract The Social Assistance is established to deal with the problem of poverty. It based on the investigation of personal income and/or family assets, adopting the Residual Model to identify the needy via the qualifiers process. The Social Assistance System is an indispensable part of social security and the final safety net for citizens’ basic right of survival. The passive purpose of the social assistance programs is for relieving of poor people; on the other hand, it also actively works to get the poor out of poverty. Ultimately, the aim of these aid programs is to help those low-income families to be able to become self-supporting. This study examines and analyzes the gap between the poverty rates data and the reality in Taiwan. Based on these findings, the author is trying to rethink the existing problems of the Social Assistance. Conclusions and suggestions of the research are listed below: 1. Suggestions: (1) There is necessary to concern with the standard of the Poverty Line and the Rules of Income Redistribution on the purpose of avoiding the interference between areas. Giving subsidies depend on the localize consumption levels is also suggested. (2) Thedefinition of Poverty Line should be modified by economic prospects and the statistical data of average family income and expenditure. (3) The government must reconsider and amend the definitions of the current laws of the Social Assistance, adjusting them by localization and decentralization. 2. Conclusions: To sum up, the purpose of the dissertation is an attempt to find out a new way of rethinking about the laws of the Social Assistance and the current practice. Furthermore, it anticipates constructing rational regulations for coping with the poverty issue to guarantee the social right for citizens in Taiwan.