income strategy

A social welfare policy of providing direct monetary aid, based on predetermined objective criteria, to those in need. This is distinguished from a service strategy policy, in which social workers evaluate each person's situation and provide counseling and in-kind benefits. For example, an income strategy would be to pay each needy family a certain amount for housing so that the family can make their own choices. In this example, the service strategy would be to provide public housing or advice about living more frugally.