Belarus

Title: Annual Expenditures and Income Household Survey

GENERAL INFORMATION AND BASIC DEFINITIONS

1. Background

Further information is available from Ministery of Statistics and Analysis of the Republic of Belarus of Partizansky prospect 12, Minsk, Belarus, phone: 375 17 249 42 71, fax: 375 17 249 22 04, e-mail: minstat@mail.belpak.by; housewife1@mail.ru.
Data have been collected by household survey since 1995.

2. Purpose and coverage

The following purposes are considered to be very important or of some importance:

• to obtain weights for consumer price index
• to estimate household expenditure for national accounts
• to study the general structure of household incomes/expenditures
• to study income/expenditure patterns of disadvantaged groups, including pensioner households, single parent households, etc
• to study income/expenditure disparities among socio-economic groups
• for general poverty and/or income distribution studies

Lesser importance is attached to:

• to study consumer behaviour among socio-economic groups
• to study effects on income and expenditure of policy changes, especially tax changes
• for market research purposes

Geographic coverage: National without any specific geographic areas excluded.

Population coverage:
The following types of household are included in the data collection:

• one person private households
• private households with more than one person
• those in collective housing (such as long term hospitals, prisons, monasteries, military quarters)
• non-resident households of nationals (households of nationals located abroad)
• diplomatic households in the country
• households of other foreigners in the country
• armed forces residing in private housing outside military base

The following types of household are excluded in the data collection:

• those in collective housing (such as long term hospitals, prisons, monasteries, military quarters)
• non-resident households of nationals (households of nationals located abroad)
• diplomatic households in the country
• armed forces residing in private housing within military base

Units:
Dwelling units are used in the sample selection and are characterised by:

• single structure - detached housing unit
• single unit in a structure containing more than one housing unit
• street address

Data are recorded for the household unit which is characterised by:

• one person units
• two or more people living together:
  • sharing a single dwelling or compound
  • sharing a common budget for (at least) food and housing expenditures

Data are recorded for the income unit which is characterised by:

• two or more people:
  • living in the same household
  • sharing a single dwelling or compound
  • pooling their income to some extent

Data are recorded for the consumer unit, expenditure unit or spending unit which is characterised by:

• two or more people:
  • living in the same household
  • sharing a single dwelling or compound
  • sharing meals
  • sharing a common budget for (at least) food and housing expenditures

Unit members: Usual residents temporarily living away from the dwelling are included, if away continuously for less than 3 months. Visitors (not usual residents) temporarily living in the dwelling are included, if staying continuously for more than 14 days. Renters living in same dwelling/compound are included in the unit. Boarders living in same dwelling/compound are included in the unit.

Head of unit:
The concept of head of household/other unit is used in this survey and is characterised by:

• acknowledged as such by other household/unit members
• main income earner

3. Reference periods

SURVEY METHODOLOGY

4. Sample design

The Primary, Secondary and Ultimate Sampling Units are enumeration area/district, dwelling and household respectively.

Stratification:
Areas/districts were stratified using the following criteria:

• geographical regions
• rural/urban
• administrative districts

Households/Consumption Unit, Income Unit, Family Unit were stratified using the following criteria:

• income class
• social class of the head
• age group of the head

The sampling frames for the Primary Sampling Unit (PSU) and Ultimate Sampling Unit (USU) were the list of Census enumeration areas and none respectively. Primary Sampling Units (PSU) were selected using probability proportional to size and Ultimate Sampling Units (USU) were selected using probability proportional to size. The sample size was 6000 households or other units and 17 interviews. ¹ The overall response rate for the survey was 87 percent. Errors/biases were minimized by using an updated sampling frame.

Enumeration procedure: Enumeration uses neither a single round survey design nor a panel design. No action is taken to select a smaller set of reporting units for more detailed questioning.

DATA COLLECTION, CONCEPTS, DEFINITIONS AND CLASSIFICATIONS

5. Income data

Income data are collected. Receipts have to be regular and recurring to be considered as income. Income excludes receipts resulting from the sale or reduction of assets and/or from incurring liabilities. Income excludes receipts that are not currently available to the unit.

The following receipts are collected separately:

• wages and salaries
• cash bonuses and gratuities
• remuneration for time not worked, e.g. leave pay
• termination and redundancy payments
• employee income in-kind provided free or subsidized: housing
• employee income in-kind provided free or subsidized: meals
• employee income in-kind provided free or subsidized: car/transportation
• employee income in-kind provided free or subsidized: goods or services produced by employer
• employee income in-kind provided free or subsidized: other goods or services
• goods produced for own consumption
• services produced for own consumption
• interest received
• dividends
• rentals (payment received for produced assets e.g. house)
• royalties
• retirement pensions from compulsory social security schemes
• old age benefits
• other pensions
• unemployment benefits
• family-related allowances
• sickness benefits
• invalidity benefits
• education-related allowances
• housing allowances
• survivors benefits
• subsidized government dwelling
• food subsidies
• medical reimbursements
• other social insurance benefits
• other social assistance benefits
• regular support received from non-profit institutions serving households: cash, e.g. scholarships
• regular support received from non-profit institutions serving households: goods and services
• regular support received from non-profit institutions serving households: subsidized dwelling
• regular inter-household transfers received from: family, e.g. alimony, child/parental support
• regular inter-household transfers received from: regular inheritances or trusts
• regular inter-household transfers received from: regular cash gifts
• regular inter-household transfers received from: regular in-kind gifts
• regular inter-household transfers received from: free dwelling
• regular inter-household transfers received from: regular free services
• social transfers in kind: medical services
• social transfers in kind: transport subsidies
• social transfers in kind: cultural and recreational services
• social transfers in kind: others

The following receipts are not collected:

• commissions and tips
• employer social security contributions
• employee social security contributions
• goods produced for barter
• services produced for barter
• stock consumed from unincorporated enterprise
• services from owner-occupied dwellings
• services from other consumer durables (net)
• rents (payment received for un-produced assets e.g. land)
• free government dwelling
• regular support received from non-profit institutions serving households: free dwelling
• regular inter-household transfers received from: subsidized dwelling
• social transfers in kind: public education

The following receipts are classified as income from paid employment:

• wages and salaries
• cash bonuses and gratuities
• remuneration for time not worked, e.g. leave pay
• employee income in-kind provided free or subsidized: housing
• employee income in-kind provided free or subsidized: meals
• employee income in-kind provided free or subsidized: car/transportation
• employee income in-kind provided free or subsidized: goods or services produced by employer
• employee income in-kind provided free or subsidized: other goods or services

The following receipts are classified as income from self-employment:

• royalties

The following receipts are classified as property income:

• interest received
• dividends
• rentals (payment received for produced assets e.g. house)

The following receipts are classified as employment-related transfer income:

• termination and redundancy payments
• regular pensions/annuities from schemes to which employee does not contribute
• retirement pensions from compulsory social security schemes
• old age benefits
• other pensions
• unemployment benefits
• sickness benefits
• invalidity benefits
• education-related allowances
• housing allowances
• survivors benefits
• subsidized government dwelling
• food subsidies
• medical reimbursements
• other social insurance benefits
• other social assistance benefits
• regular support received from non-profit institutions serving households: cash, e.g. scholarships
• regular support received from non-profit institutions serving households: goods and services
• regular support received from non-profit institutions serving households: subsidized dwelling
• regular inter-household transfers received from: family, e.g. alimony, child/parental support
• regular inter-household transfers received from: regular inheritances or trusts
• regular inter-household transfers received from: regular cash gifts
• regular inter-household transfers received from: regular in-kind gifts
• regular inter-household transfers received from: free dwelling
• regular inter-household transfers received from: regular free services

The following receipts are classified as other income but not employment-related:

• goods produced for own consumption
• services produced for own consumption
• social transfers in kind: medical services
• social transfers in kind: transport subsidies
• social transfers in kind: cultural and recreational services
• social transfers in kind: others

The following receipts are collected using the last 3 months as the reference period:

• wages and salaries
• cash bonuses and gratuities
• remuneration for time not worked, e.g. leave pay
• termination and redundancy payments
• employee income in-kind provided free or subsidized: housing
• employee income in-kind provided free or subsidized: meals
• employee income in-kind provided free or subsidized: car/transportation
• employee income in-kind provided free or subsidized: goods or services produced by employer
• employee income in-kind provided free or subsidized: other goods or services
• goods produced for own consumption
• services produced for own consumption
• goods produced for barter
• services produced for barter
• interest received
• dividends
• rentals (payment received for produced assets e.g. house)
• royalties
• retirement pensions from compulsory social security schemes
• old age benefits
• other pensions
• unemployment benefits
• family-related allowances
• sickness benefits
• invalidity benefits
• education-related allowances
• survivors benefits
• subsidized government dwelling
• food subsidies
• medical reimbursements
• other social insurance benefits
• other social assistance benefits
• regular support received from non-profit institutions serving households: cash, e.g. scholarships
• regular support received from non-profit institutions serving households: goods and services
• regular support received from non-profit institutions serving households: subsidized dwelling
• regular inter-household transfers received from: family, e.g. alimony, child/parental support
• regular inter-household transfers received from: regular inheritances or trusts
• regular inter-household transfers received from: regular cash gifts
• regular inter-household transfers received from: regular in-kind gifts
• regular inter-household transfers received from: free dwelling
• regular inter-household transfers received from: subsidized dwelling
• regular inter-household transfers received from: regular free services
• social transfers in kind: medical services
• social transfers in kind: transport subsidies
• social transfers in kind: cultural and recreational services
• social transfers in kind: others

Income data were collected as an aggregate for the whole unit. Negative values (business losses) were included when computing self-employment income.

6. Expenditure data

Data collection method:
Diaries are used to collect expenditure data and are maintained for two weeks.

Diaries are used to collect expenditure on the following items:

• food
• alcohol, tobacco
• other household non-durables (such as newspapers, batteries)
• other personal non-durables (such as perfumes)
• personal services (such as driving lessons, haircuts)

Diaries are not used to collect expenditure on the following items:

• food
• alcohol, tobacco
• other household non-durables (such as newspapers, batteries)
• other personal non-durables (such as perfumes)
• personal services (such as driving lessons, haircuts)

Interviews are used to collect expenditure data with the respondent completing the interview by a mix of recall and using documentation.

Data for the following expenditure items are collected by referring:

• to expenditures last week:
  • food

• to expenditures in last 3 months:
  • other household non-durable goods
  • clothing, footwear
  • other personal non-durable goods
  • housing
  • other durable goods
  • households services
  • personal services

The following types of expenditure items are classified as 'Household consumption expenditure':

• non-durable goods purchased
• durable goods purchased (except housing)
• services of owner-occupied housing
• income in-kind receipts of goods
• income in-kind receipts of services
• social transfers in-kind of goods and services from government and non-profit institutions serving households
• housing maintenance, minor repairs
• second hand goods purchased

The following types of expenditure items are classified as 'Actual Household consumption':

• in-kind goods received from other households
• in-kind services received from other households

The following types of expenditure items are classified as 'Non-consumption household expenditure':

• mortgage repayments, including interest
• major repairs, conversions and extensions to owner-occupied housing
• interest payments (excluding mortgage interest payments)
• financial services (including fees for financial advice, brokerage fees)
• non-life insurance premiums (e.g. vehicle, housing, other property, medical)
• life insurance premiums
• licences and fees (e.g. driver's licence, hunting licence, vehicle registration)
• gambling expenditure
• out of pocket health expenditure
• out of pocket education expenditures
• out of pocket transport expenditures
• regular cash payments to others outside the household
• non-regular cash payments to others outside the household
• purchase of gifts of goods and services given to others outside the household
• valuables
• compulsory transfers to governments (e.g. contributions to government old age and disability insurance program, taxes)
• investment-related expenditures (e.g. purchase of shares/stocks)
• occupational expenditures

The following types of expenditure items are excluded due to measurement problems:

• purchase price of owner-occupied housing
• own produced non-durable goods
• own-produced durable goods
• own-produced services
• services from durables owned (except housing)
• other business-related expenditures

The following types of expenditure items are collected on an 'acquisitions' basis:

• non-durable goods purchased
• durable goods purchased (except housing)
• in-kind goods received from other households
• in-kind services received from other households
• social transfers in-kind of goods and services from government and non-profit institutions serving households
• purchase of gifts of goods and services given to others outside the household
• second hand goods purchased
• valuables

The following types of expenditure items are collected on a 'use' basis:

• income in-kind receipts of goods
• income in-kind receipts of services
• own produced non-durable goods

The following types of expenditure items are collected on a 'payments' basis:

• mortgage repayments, including interest
• services of owner-occupied housing
• major repairs, conversions and extensions to owner-occupied housing
• interest payments (excluding mortgage interest payments)
• financial services (including fees for financial advice, brokerage fees)
• non-life insurance premiums (e.g. vehicle, housing, other property, medical)
• life insurance premiums
• licences and fees (e.g. driver's licence, hunting licence, vehicle registration)
• gambling expenditure
• out of pocket health expenditure
• out of pocket education expenditures
• out of pocket transport expenditures
• housing maintenance, minor repairs
• regular cash payments to others outside the household
• non-regular cash payments to others outside the household

Classification: COICOP is used for classifying expenditure and has 5 separate categories at the finest level.

7. Other Data Collection Issues

The following other topics are covered:

• demographic characteristics
• education attainment of members
• employment status of members
• occupation of members
• ownership of selected durable goods
• housing characteristics
• savings
• indebtedness

Households are requested to indicate whether durable goods are new or second-hand when their acquisition is recorded.

Non-response: There is no substitution for non-response, whether by non-contact or by refusal.

Non-response is reduced using the following measures:

• more than one repeat visits
• monetary rewards

Reporting errors are reduced using the following measures:

• careful instrument design
• bounding interview
• quality control

DATA PROCESSING, ANALYSIS AND DISSEMINATION

Answers are pre-coded on data collection forms to the extent possible.

Extreme values are amended. In-kind receipts and consumption of own production are included in the estimates. In-kind receipts are valued using: the respondent's estimate. Consumption of own production is valued using: the imputed in office processing using market prices.

Treatment of owner-occupied housing: Values of owner-occupied housing are not included in the total income/expenditure estimates.

Treatment of selected groups/values in analysis: No households/units are excluded from analysis because of incomplete response. Missing values are imputed always . Supplementary sources are not used to adjust estimates for under- or over-reporting. No groups are excluded from data analysis.

Weighting:
Weighting factors are used to adjust for:

• sampling
• non-response

Sampling errors: Sampling errors are computed for major aggregates and these sampling errors are published.

Tabulation and Analysis: Statistics are presented showing averages per month and statistics are analysed and tabulated for households and for individuals separately.

The following classifications are used for tabulation and analysis of income statistics:

• age of reference person or head of household
• sex of reference person or head of household
• occupation of reference person or head of household
• income percentiles
• absolute income groups
• expenditure percentiles
• expenditure classes in monetary terms
• household size
• structure of household

The following classifications are used for tabulation and analysis of expenditure statistics:

• age of reference person or head of household
• sex of reference person or head of household
• occupation of reference person or head of household
• income percentiles
• absolute income groups
• expenditure percentiles
• expenditure classes in monetary terms
• household size
• structure of household

Documentation and Dissemination:
Published survey reports: expenditures and Income of Households Main Socio-Economic Characteristics of Households
Published methodological information: methodology of Household Sample Surveys in the Republic of Belarus, 1998

Additional statistics (or special tables on request) are available for public use, free of charge and with charges. Separate tables are published for low income households. Files of unidentifiable unit data are available (or available on request) for public use, free of charge and with charges.