According to estimates, a considerable percentage of people entitled to (social) benefits in Austria do not avail themselves of these (which is referred to as “non-take-up”). Persons affected by old-age poverty, who frequently suffer from health impairments with increasing age and many of whom are non-Internet users, are more likely to miss out on benefits at least partially.

Against this background, this project will use problem-centered interviews and grounded theory to analyze the patterns of interpretation and behavior in people affected by old-age poverty towards (social) benefits and in correlation with health and the current inflation. In this way, the researchers will identify factors that contribute to non-take-up in Vienna and Lower Austria. This, in turn, will help to develop Social Work interventions that may increase the take-up of social benefits among the population suffering from old-age poverty and, ultimately, improve the quality of life of these persons.