What are the best countries in the world to live in if you are unemployed, disabled or just have a large family? Social benefits vary widely, with France being one of the most generous providers of unemployment benefits, while the social safety net has shrunk in the traditionally liberal Nordic countries.

Estonia

With a population of only 1.5 million, Estonia does not have a very large welfare budget in either absolute or relative terms. However, unlike many countries, most of Estonia's welfare budget is managed online, keeping costs low. Citizens can apply for all relevant benefits once, without having to fill out many very similar forms.

There are two groups of benefits for the unemployed. To qualify for unemployment benefits, claimants must be registered unemployed with the Estonian Unemployment Insurance Fund, have contributed for at least one year in the previous three years and have been involuntarily unemployed. Employees contribute 1.4% of wages and employers pay 2.8%. The benefit amount is 50% of wages for the first 100 days and then 40% thereafter. The insurance fund also continues to pay health insurance premiums for the unemployed.

Unemployment benefits are for low-income people who have been working, self-employed, or in school for at least 180 days per year. Recipients of the flat-rate benefit receive 4.01 euros per day.

Estonia has a generous parental leave policy: parental allowances are paid for 435 days based on 100% of the parents' average monthly income for the previous calendar year. In addition to child allowances, there is also a new means-tested family allowance for poor families.

France

Disability benefits are calculated according to a person's average salary over a 10-year period.

If applicants can work, the rate is based on 30% of the applicant's average salary for the decade and can range from €282 to €951 per month.

For those who can no longer work, a higher rate of 50% is used, up to a ceiling of €1,585 per month.

Those who cannot work and need care receive the same scale of benefits as this second group, but also receive €1,104 per month to pay for a caregiver.

Adults with disabilities who have never worked can claim a monthly benefit of between €403 (for a single person) and €666 (for a couple), unless they have financial resources of more than €800 per month (for a single person) and €1,600 (for couples).

If a disabled person has worked for less than one year and has minimal resources, they may also qualify for RCAs as well as housing benefits. Disability benefits are also available to parents caring for disabled children under the age of 20 who live at home. They cover the cost of the caregiver's education and work, but are means-tested, and benefits depend on the severity of the child's disability.

Germany

Children with disabilities are automatically insured with their parents under the health insurance scheme without having to pay any additional costs. Children and students with disabilities are entitled to various rights, including wheelchair access and sign language interpreters in certain circumstances.

Companies receive benefits and tax incentives when hiring people with disabilities.

Grants are available up to €2557 for each project to adapt a disabled person's home to their individual needs.

They are also entitled to a housing allowance of up to €1,500, depending on the severity of the disability; assistance to cab fares to ensure mobility and participation in normal life; and free public transportation. In addition, there are funds to cover the costs of care at home, measured at three levels depending on the person's care needs.

Ireland

The general criteria for Disability Living Allowance are that individuals are residents of Ireland and have a disability that is expected to last for at least one year and substantially limits the individual from performing work that would otherwise be suitable for them.

“Deciding officers” appointed under Irish social security legislation determine who is eligible based on the merits of each individual case.

Applicants must ask their doctor to complete a medical report, which will be reviewed by one of the department's medical examiners. Payments are means-tested above €50,000 of any capital.

The maximum payment for those aged 26 and over is €188 per week. Those with children are charged an additional fee.

USA

Modern America has learned how to compensate for the huge gaps in the wealth of its residents. For this purpose, a number of financial instruments for support have been developed.

The first is the special SSI benefit, which is supplemental social security income for those not working. For example, retirees receive SSI in the amount of $881 per month.

Another support for the unemployed and those living below the poverty line is specialized food stamps and food banks. So-called food stamps can be exchanged in stores for groceries. The total cost of a food basket will be $202.

More than 74 million people in the United States do not own a home. This situation in the country is solved by providing either free housing, for which the state pays, or in free rent for an indefinite period of time. In this case, part of it is paid by the person and part by the state. For example, for an apartment in Brooklyn, a retiree will pay about $259 a month. According to statistics, this is ten times lower than the market price.

As for families with children, the state will help here too. About 90% of children from low-income families receive free meals at school. In addition, children can visit any cultural places: exhibitions, museums, art galleries and libraries on an equal footing with their classmates.

Transportation fares for the non-working population will be unlimited and will also be paid for by the state.