Source: A Tarde Online - BA - ECONOMY - 01/10/2009

Social security coverage of the economically active population (PEA) increased from 54,8% in 2001 to 59,6% in 2008, according to an analysis by the Applied Economic Research Institute (Ipea) on data from the National Household Sample Survey ( PNAD) until last year. In other words, just over 40% of the PEA remained without Social Security coverage last year. The study considers covered both those who receive benefits and those who contribute.

The increase in coverage was mainly caused by the growth in the increase in employees with a formal contract, from 22,2 million people in 2001 (30,4% of the PEA) to 33,4 million people in 2008 (35,7, 35,8% of the PEA) .In the period, informality dropped from 33,2% to 31% of the PEA, a level still considered high by the researcher from Ipea Leonardo Rangel, responsible for the social security analysis. "Despite all the economic growth and employment, informality persists around a third of the economically active population, equivalent to XNUMX million people," he said.

Rangel also noted that 81,8% of people aged 60 or over are covered by Social Security. “Despite being an excellent coverage for a country like ours in international comparisons, we can look at the other side and say that one in five elderly people does not receive benefits or contribute to Social Security. There is a lot for public policy to advance, ”said the researcher.

Rangel said that Social Security has played an important role against poverty. According to his calculations, without the benefit, 17,394 million people would go into poverty and 20,9 million people would go into poverty. According to Rangel, the benefits of a minimum wage reduce inequality, but considering all benefits paid, including those of civil servants, there is an increase in inequality.