Study by: Austrian Institute of Economic Research – University of Barcelona – Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona – University of Essex – University of Ottawa
Economic development in parallel to demographic changes over the past decades have altered family structures and the way care
is given and received along the lifecycle. This long-running trend has been recently affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, especially
the tragic rates of mortality in too many institutional care settings for the elderly, and the widespread closures of schools.
These dramatic changes make more evident how the market economy relies on non-market economic activities to provide welfare
in general and care to dependent children and elders. At the same time, it has highlighted just how much the informal care
economy relates to inequality in general and exposes the gender gap.
Research group:Labour Economics, Income and Social Security
