Universal schemes cover all residents of a certain category (for instance elderly over 60), whether working or not and irrespective of income. Often, the only requirement attached to the receipt of the benefit, apart in our example the age condition, is that the person must be a citizen or a long term resident of the country (ILO, 1998). Contrary to contributory schemes, universal schemes do not provide higher cash benefits to higher earners, but a single flat-rate amount to all who qualify. The benefits typically provided by universal schemes are: healthcare, old-age pensions, child benefits, as well as disability grants.

As we can see from the table above, universal benefits, contrary to non universal-benefits are (obviously) non means-tested and non-contributory.