Laura Welti, Manager of Bristol Disability Equality Forum, gives a timely reminder of the original purpose of unemployment-related benefits for Disabled people
The Welfare Conditionality Project’s recent blog and briefing on disability raised interesting points. But in discussing the higher value of unemployment-related benefits for Disabled people, we also need to return to the original purpose. Only then can we address the issues raised by recent benefit changes.
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Our latest email newsletter with all our research news at a glance is out now. Find out about our progress toward our interview target, latest blogs, and a special set of videos and slides from our PhD students. Sign up here for your copy.
Our seven PhD research students are all working on projects connected with welfare conditionality. But that’s where the similarity ends: their research projects are very diverse and will add to knowledge in a wide range of areas. They presented their work-in-progress, each at a different stage, at an event in Edinburgh this year. Several have also made short videos explaining their projects.
Take a look at their presentation slides.
Regina Serpa presentation
Jim Kaufman presentation
Larissa Povey presentation
Fiona Jackson presentation
Helen Stinson presentation
Joanne Brown presentation
Watch the videos here. Full movie here and below.
Measures to tackle anti-social behaviour are bound to divide opinions. But what’s the evidence on whether and how they work? Project team member Katy Jones has written a new blog for her department at the University of Salford, with a recap on the arguments about this issue. She focuses on our fieldwork in Greater Manchester which will help build an evidence base on sanctions, support and ASB. Read her blog here.
Can you help our research by taking part in a confidential interview? Email us at: info@welfareconditionality.ac.uk.
Our research team is conducting confidential interviews with both practitioners and welfare service users. If you work with people affected by welfare sanctions and support, can you help by putting us in touch with them? We especially want to hear from people in these places:
Glasgow: migrants (asylum seekers, those with refugee status or with other leave to remain), social tenants, offenders or experiencing measures for anti-social behaviour
Greater Manchester: Universal Credit claimants or experiencing measures for anti-social behaviour
Bristol: jobseekers and lone parents
Inverness: Universal Credit claimants
London: lone parents.
We’re also running
focus groups for practitioners working in the fields of ASB, offending, migration, jobseeking, family intervention and social housing.
Focus group for those working with offenders: 2pm Thursday 30 April, Glasgow.
Focus group for those working on ASB: 2pm Wednesday 6 May, Glasgow.
Focus group for practitioners and organisations working on Universal Credit: Wednesday 13 May, 1pm, Bath
Find out more about our research project
here.
Our research team wants to interview people affected by welfare sanctions and support. We especially want to hear from people in these places:
Glasgow: migrants (asylum seekers, those with refugee status or with other leave to remain), social tenants, offenders or experiencing measures for anti-social behaviour
Greater Manchester: Universal Credit claimants or experiencing measures for anti-social behaviour
Bristol: jobseekers and lone parents
Inverness: Universal Credit claimants
London: lone parents.
Find out more about our research project
here.
Issue 2 of our newsletter is out now. Sign up here bit.ly/1FAHl3b to get all our project and research news in one quick-read email.
The Welfare Conditionality research project has welcomed today’s report from the Commons Work and Pensions select committee. The report calls for an independent review of benefit sanctions. It also calls for a series of evaluations of the effectiveness of sanctions. In evidence to the committee our project called for easing of sanctions and increased attention to support within the system. Read our submission here.
Our project is interviewing service users, practitioners and policy makers to uncover the effects of sanctions and support over time. It will examine both how effective the regime is in changing people’s behaviour, and whether the current approach is justified. Read more about our work.
Our research team wants to interview people affected by benefit sanctions and support. We especially want to hear from people in Glasgow who have experienced this as migrants, social tenants or offenders; or for anti-social behaviour in Glasgow, Peterborough and Greater Manchester. Also Universal Credit claimants in Inverness and Greater Manchester, jobseekers in Bristol and lone parents in Bristol and London.
Please email us – we’ll keep your details confidential. Read more about our research.
Dr Sharon Wright comments on recent developments and the balance between sanctions and support. New evidence shows that benefit sanctions have removed £32 million from the Scottish economy and there are concerns that poverty and hardship are being created on a scale and intensity unseen for more than half a century. Read more
