This paper was written to provide a descriptive overview of two aspects of Unemployment Compensation (UC) programmes. It utilizes a cross-country perspective to examine the prevalence of UC and UC costs. The analysis of UC prevalence is quantitative and historical with information extending back to 1949. It emphasizes income (per-capita of the gross domestic product (GDP)) and geographic location as correlates (predictors) for the countries that have UC programmes. Both are strongly linked to the presence of UC in individual countries.

The analysis of UC costs covers a shorter period (the 1990s), and is limited to 32 countries where cost data have been assembled. The cost analysis identifies three factors related to costs: the unemployment rate, the recipiency rate and the replacement rate (the size of periodic benefits relative to average earnings). All three are linked to UC costs as illustrated in quantitative data from the 1990s. UC costs are also shown to be related to regional location and the type of UC statute operative in individual countries.