UK Social Security System Research Articles

Indentured: Benefit deductions, debt recovery and welfare disciplining

AbstractThe UK social security system performs an important role as a creditor and debt collector for many benefit claimants, with more affected by deductions than formal welfare conditionality or sanctions. Deductions, then, are central to understanding low‐income life in the UK. With that in mind, this paper draws on a mixed‐methods project to explore the policy rationale, administration and effects of benefit deductions at a particular moment of crisis. Through new analysis of statistical releases, I evidence increasing indebtedness and an Inverse Care Law, whereby UK social security performs worst for those who need it most. Drawing on qualitative longitudinal ethnographic fieldwork conducted at the height of the cost‐of‐living crisis, I also evidence how deductions affect the lives and trajectories of low‐income claimants over time. The analysis offered details how deductions weaponize debt, often in ways that financialise benefit claimants and their entitlements that prove counter‐productive to the stated policy objectives of deductions: worsening the poverty‐debt trap and pushing people (further) away from the labour market.

Sticking plaster support: the Household Support Fund and localised assistance in the UK welfare state

The Household Support Fund is a creature of crises. Initially conceived as a temporary palliative for struggling UK households in 2021 amid the devastating COVID-19 crisis, the local authority administered support is now in its fourth wave. Accounting for over £2.5 billion of funding since its introduction, it is a flagship component of the UK government’s response to the cost-of-living crisis. Drawing on interviews with 12 local authorities, we argue this scheme is part of an ongoing shift towards dependence on localised discretionary funds to mitigate increasingly insufficient central social security support – although the fund provides essential support for struggling households, this is not a role it can fulfil in its current form. The article falls into three parts. The first provides an overview of the origins of this cash-limited HSF scheme and situates it in the shifting role of localised support in the UK social security system. The second provides an overview of the method. The third draws four key themes from the interview data: a lack of funding leading to sticking plaster provision, problematic tensions between supporting those most at need and concerns about dependency on crisis funds, administrative capacity shaping scheme design, and third sector organisations’ increasing role in both mediating and providing support. We conclude that the HSF signifies a significant ongoing shift towards patchwork, localised support in the UK welfare state, subject to unpredictable renewal. Rather than comprehensive centralised provision, funds like the HSF are increasingly being tasked with mitigating insufficient working-age social security.

A constant threat? A narrative exploration of the relationship between benefit receipt, mental distress and the threat of homelessness

Resistance to housing and welfare reforms on economic, ‘practical’ grounds was shattered by the covid-19 pandemic, which demonstrated that where there is a will there is a way when it comes to providing housing. Despite a purported ‘right’ to adequate housing, many people in the UK face profound challenges accessing stable accommodation. Drawing from a biographical-narrative study, this article details experiences of men who have the right to adequate housing denied and thus experience housing insecurity. Subsequently, it explores how such insecurity exacerbates pre-existing mental health problems. The core argument of the article is that welfare reforms produced the sense of a constant threat of homelessness and destitution for the 17 male participants in the study who claimed sickness benefits. This sense of constant threat manifested itself through (a) the production of present homelessness at the time of the research and (b) and underlying anxiety, fear and threat of homelessness. The article contends that the UK social security system perpetuates the structural and emotional drivers of mental distress, creating a deleterious cycle of poverty, insecurity and ill-health, concluding that the provision of stable housing is an upstream intervention to improve mental health and reduce social exclusion.

Weaponising time in the war on welfare: Slow violence and deaths of disabled people within the UK's social security system

In 2014, a long continuing battle began to find out more about Government record-keeping on the deaths of disabled people claiming benefits. Drawing on a timeline of evidence co-produced with disabled people, we analyse how deaths related to the benefits system are an outcome of slow violence, where both the delay between policies and their harmful effects, as well as the more active use of delay tactics, are central to how the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) weaponise time as a strategy to avoid accountability and deny justice. DWP reviews into deaths are an under-researched yet significant focus because they are (supposedly) tools through which the DWP investigates the harms of its own policies, and yet, they are designed and carried out in a way that systemically invisibilise state accountability.

Evaluation of the mental health impacts of Universal Credit: protocol for a mixed methods study

IntroductionThe UK social security system is being transformed by the implementation of Universal Credit (UC), which combines six existing benefits and tax credits into a single payment for low-income households....

The two-child limit for benefits in the Supreme Court: implications for public health.

The last 10 years has been a remarkable period for the UK social security system. The most significant changes in welfare provision since the inception of the welfare state have resulted in a reduction in social security spending of over £30 billion. One of the most controversial elements of the government’s programme of welfare reform is the two-child limit. This policy has returned to the fore following a recent Supreme Court judgement,1 where the Court was asked to decide if the financial restrictions imposed by the two-child limit are compatible with rights under the European Convention on Human Rights. This commentary analyses the impact of the two-child limit, the consequences of the Supreme Court decision, and the ways in which social security is a significant public health concern.

COVID-19 and the temporary transformation of the UK social security system

This commentary discusses the implications of the changes made to the social security system by the UK government in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Until the COVID-19 pandemic, the UK government did not veer from its programme of welfare reform. However, emergency legislation made significant concessions including: an increase in the value of the UK’s main means-tested benefit Universal Credit, more favourable eligibility rules for the self-employed, a reduced conditionality regime, and an increase in the level of housing support. This paper argues that although the UK government’s COVID-19 social security response was necessary, it did not go far enough. A temporary lifting of some prejudicial elements of the social security system was welcome but this still leaves an overly complex system characterised by unacceptable delays in payment, inadequate support for many vulnerable groups, and inconsistent experiences for recipients of different benefits.

Examining Veterans’ Interactions with the UK Social Security System through a Trauma-Informed Lens

AbstractThis paper uses the principles of trauma-informed care – safety, collaboration, choice, trustworthiness, and respect – to reflect on the quality of veterans’ treatment within the UK social security system. Drawing upon new data from qualitative longitudinal research with veterans in four geographical locations across England, UK, it explores their experiences within the social security system, highlighting specific issues relating to their interactions with the Work Capability Assessment (WCA) but also the conditionality inherent within the UK benefits system. Overall, it is evident that there is a lack of understanding of the impact of trauma on people’s psychosocial functioning and, as a result, veterans are treated in ways which are variously perceived as disrespectful, unfair or disempowering and in some cases exacerbate existing mental health problems. We propose that the application of trauma-informed care principles to the UK social security system could improve interactions within this system and avoid re-traumatising those experiencing on-going or unresolved trauma. The paradigm of trauma-informed care has been used internationally to examine health, homelessness, prison and childcare services, but ours is the first exploration of its application to the delivery of social security.

Regressive and precarious: analysing the UK social security system in the light of the findings of the UN Special Rapporteur on poverty and human rights

In November 2018 the United Nations (UN) Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights visited the UK. The report that followed his visit delivered a damning verdict on the UK welfare benefits system and the government’s record on poverty alleviation. This article analyses three important themes from the UN Rapporteur’s statement. First the ways in which the economic and social well-being of welfare benefit claimants is negatively impacted by the values-base that underpins current social security policy, second the disproportionately negative impact that welfare reform has on key vulnerable groups, and third the multiple design and implementation problems that are evident as the government moves towards a digital welfare state. The article concludes that the UK social security system is in a precarious position and considers changes which could be implemented to produce a more equitable system including the adoption of a rights-based approach such as the one established by the Scottish Parliament.Keywords: welfare reform, social security, universal credit, poverty, human rights

Functional assessments in the UK social security system: the experiences of claimants with mental health conditions

AbstractEligibility for health-related income benefits in the United Kingdom is now determined through the use of functional assessments conducted by healthcare professionals. Claimant satisfaction with both Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and Work Capability Assessments (WCA) has been mixed and concerns have been raised that mental health conditions are not well-understood in this context, but academic research has so far been limited. Individuals with a range of common mental disorders and severe mental illness were interviewed (n=18) about their experiences of undergoing eligibility assessments for health-related income benefits. Data were analysed using a thematic analysis approach.Eleven out of the 18 participants had been turned down for one or more income benefits and successful claims were more likely where supported by health and care professionals. Eligibility assessments were overwhelmingly perceived as focusing on physical health with limited scope to explore the impact of mental health on functioning. Evidence from this and other studies suggests that improvements are needed to the eligibility assessment process for all claimants but particularly those with a mental health condition.

Understanding and improving the experience of claiming social security for mental health problems in the west of Scotland: A participatory social welfare study.

A growing body of literature links claimant interactions with the UK social security system and negative psychological consequences. Psychologists for social change developed a framework to outline proposed mechanisms of psychological impact from austerity. This codesigned study aimed to make an informed comment on areas of dis(agreement) between the Austerity Ailments framework and how people claiming for mental health problems describe their own experiences. In line with the participatory social welfare design of the study, qualitative analysis was performed by both claimants and academics. The overall findings indicate that existing framework mostly captured claimant experiences. However, some aspects of the claimant experience (particularly social aspects) were not well captured. Claimants were keen to utilise this study as an opportunity to gather claimant ideas on how to improve the system. Therefore, we report their suggestions that may be useful for those designing and improving social welfare systems.

‘I feel I'm Giving Something Back to Society’: Constructing the ‘Active Citizen’ and Responsibilising Foodbank Use

Foodbanks and other forms of charitable welfare provision are fast becoming an established feature of the UK social security system. Drawing on over two years of ethnographic observation in a Trussell Trust foodbank in North East England, this paper explores the relationship between the construction of the ‘active citizen’ and lived experiences of foodbank users and volunteers. Findings show how participants’ experiences and behaviour challenges popular political and policy narratives that individuals are using foodbanks because of poor lifestyle choices. The internalisation or rejection of this narrative is then examined, contrasting the different forms of citizenship that arise. Through the significant work that goes into living on a low income, people both aligned with and challenged the ideas underpinning ‘active citizenship’.

Universal Credit: Assumptions, Contradictions and Virtual Reality

Universal Credit is a major change in the UK's social security system which will affect around eight million households by replacing six existing means-tested benefits and tax credits with a single benefit, based on income, assets and circumstances, and paid monthly. Much commentary about Universal Credit has supported the principle but raised concerns about delivery. This consensus about the principles and the focus on delivery have resulted in less attention being paid to key policy choices informing the design. This article examines two aspects of the design of Universal Credit: the aim to make Universal Credit as much ‘like work’ as possible, and the architecture of the means test. The focus here is the gap between the assumptions underlying the design of Universal Credit, on the one hand, and the research evidence about life on a low income, and in low-waged and often insecure employment, on the other. Finally, we discuss the most significant contradiction between the ‘transformational’ aim for Universal Credit, to help people achieve greater ‘independence’ from the state, and the realities of deepening and widening control of claimants’ lives.

Shifting the Goalposts: A Longitudinal Mixed-Methods Study of the Health of Long-Term Incapacity Benefit Recipients during a Period of Substantial Change to the UK Social Security System

AbstractThe UK social security safety net for those who are out of work due to ill health or disability has experienced significant change, most notably the abolition of Incapacity Benefit (IB) and the introduction of Employment and Support Allowance (ESA). These changes have been underpinned by the assumption that many recipients are not sufficiently sick or disabled to ‘deserve’ welfare benefits – claims that have been made in the absence of empirical data on the health of recipients. Employing a unique longitudinal and mixed-methods approach, this paper explores the health of a cohort of 229 long-term IB recipients in the North East of England over an eighteen-month period, during a time of significant changes to the UK welfare state. In-depth interviews with twenty-five of the survey cohort are also presented to illustrate the lived experiences of recipients. Contributing to debates surrounding the conceptualisation of work-readiness for sick and disabled people, findings indicate IB recipients had significantly worse health than the general population, with little change in their health state over the eighteen-month study period. Qualitative data reinforced the constancy of ill health for IB recipients. Finally, the paper discusses the implications for social policy, noting how the changing nature of administrative definitions and redefinitions of illness and capacity to work can impact upon the lives of sick and disabled people.

The benefits framework and eligibility

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore the main elements of the existing framework of the UK welfare benefit system and the key changes that will be implemented under the Welfare Reform Act 2012 and its socio‐economic effects.Design/methodology/approachThis paper outlines the structure of the key welfare benefits likely to be encountered by those with a neurological disability, the broad qualifying criteria and the interaction between various types of benefit. By comparison, it examines the elements of key significance that will take effect under Welfare Reform and the resulting impact on the various demographics of benefit claimants.FindingsSince the merging of the UK's social security system with unemployment services, welfare legislation has seen countless changes, although the core underlying principles have remained largely the same along the way. The Government has committed to overhauling a complex benefit regime whilst counterbalancing the task of addressing the issues of budget deficit. In principle, the Government aims to deliver a more streamlined, cost‐effective benefit system, which will focus the greatest attention on the most vulnerable elements of our society. The most detrimental affect will be on unemployed, working‐age families; those that are perceived to have a greater advantage in the labour market.Originality/valueThe objective of this paper to raise awareness amongst professionals as to the benefits available to their clients to improve their financial and social position and to go some way to prepare for the potential impact of Welfare Reform.

Making work pay?

The growth of wage supplementation through in-work benefits and tax credits has been one of the most fundamental recent developments in the UK social security system. Broad statements of policy aims such as ‘making work pay’ and providing ‘support for work’ are superficially simple and clear. In practice, however, they cover a complex variety of goals and policy instruments. This article outlines the main policy measures introduced since 1997, discusses the different policy goals and highlights some of the major limitations of the current policy approach.

CAN GOVERNMENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS BE INFLEXIBLE TECHNOLOGY? THE OPERATIONAL STRATEGY REVISITED

Recent failures of government information systems to achieve their objectives have highlighted the risk involved in large‐scale information technology projects. This article looks at one example, the computerization of the UK social security system, in the light of recent discussions of large‐scale technologies and the particular problem of inflexible technologies as defined by Collingridge. It is argued that large‐scale government computing projects can fit the criteria of inflexible technologies, although this is not an inherent feature of information technology. There are always more flexible alternatives available: this is illustrated using examples from both private and public organizations.

Information Technology as Policy Instrument in the UK Social Security System: Delivering an Operational Strategy

Information Technology as Policy Instrument in the UK Social Security System: Delivering an Operational Strategy

The Take-up Debate on the UK Family Income Supplement

The Family Income Supplement (FIS) is a particularly interesting aspect of UK social security provisions for families. It represents one of the few examples in the world of a social security payment designed specifically to assist low wage-earners in employment, albeit at modest levels. The introduction of FIS to help tackle the problem of family poverty represented an important departure from the philosophy behind the UK social security system as, for the first time, a cash benefit was to be paid to those in full-time employment but whose income was below a certain amount. Prior to FIS, persons in full-time employment were ineligible for any benefits aimed at reducing family poverty e.g. supplementary benefits (SB). It was opposed by the Labour Party, the Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) and many academics because it utilizes a means test. This opposition is most clearly stated in literature published by CPAG. For instance, Frank Field, secretary of that organization, recently wrote: ‘From the word go, the CPAG has campaigned for family allowance increases for both those in and out of work, and since 1969 every action of the poverty lobby has been aimed at underminin public confidence in means-tested benefits.’