Administrative Burden

a broad framework to understand administrative burdens, built on three types of costs and the individuals’ experiences when they come to interact with government. Learning costs arise from engaging in search processes to collect information about public services: Are there services that can fulfill unmet needs? Would one qualify for them? What are the requirements for the application process? Psychological costs include the stigma of applying for or participating in a program with negative characterizations, a sense of loss of personal power or autonomy in interactions with the state, or the stresses and frustrations of dealing with administrative processes. Compliance costs are the material burdens of following administrative rules and requirements. This is the time lost waiting in line, completing forms or providing documentation of status. It is the money spent on hiring an accountant to do your taxes, or the fees immigrants pay to process paperwork.