In this guest blog, specialist welfare rights advice practitioner and trainer Sarah Batty explores the impact of welfare reforms on social tenants in the North East. Her research looks at the discretionary powers of Jobcentre work coaches who administer the ‘personalised conditionality’ within the new Universal Credit. She explores the experiences of two women with health conditions who had also experienced benefit sanctions. Read her blog
Specialist welfare rights advice practitioner and trainer Sarah Batty outlines her 2017 research into the impact of welfare reforms on social tenants in the North East
I am particularly interested in the interaction between increasing conditionality and increasing discretion within the social security system. One aspect of this is the discretionary powers of Jobcentre work coaches who administer the ‘personalised conditionality’ within the new Universal Credit (UC). I wanted to explore the perspectives of claimants, and among the people who talked to me were two women with health conditions who had also experienced benefit sanctions. Their stories illuminate the emerging tension between discretionary conditionality and support for vulnerable people. Read More
WelCond project Director Professor Peter Dwyer and Universal Credit Lead Researcher Dr Sharon Wright appeared on the BBC2 Victoria Derbyshire programme today. They raised issues in an in-depth report on Universal Credit and its effects on people already in work, particularly women.
Our project has extended the deadline for abstracts to our international welfare conference until Wednesday 28 February. Please send us your abstract by the end of that day for inclusion. The conference email address is info@welfareconditionality.ac.uk
The conference is being held on 26-28 June, 2018, at the University of York. Full details of suggested topics for conference papers are here.
The latest issue of our WelCond newsletter is out now. With all the news of our international conference, parliamentary action on Universal Credit and guest blogs, the newsletter is a must-read for all concerned with welfare conditionality. See the newsletter online here, and sign up for your own email copy.
A new blog by Daiga Kamerāde and WelCond researcher Dr Lisa Scullion, both from the University of Salford, explores the outlook for people moving from benefits into low paid, often temporary work. In this blog originally published by The Conversation, they argue that improving job statistics hide the harsh reality for many. Read Welcome to Britain: a land where jobs may be plentiful but are more and more precarious
The British chancellor, Philip Hammond, was roundly criticised on November 19 after claiming there were “no unemployed people” during a BBC interview with Andrew Marr. Read More
Delegates to our international conference next year can get a bargain by booking early. The early bird rate will now be available until Wednesday 7 February, giving plenty of time to send in abstracts for papers first. The conference runs from 26 to 28 June 2018 and delegates attending the full three days can save more than £30 with an early bird booking. Read More
Dr Jens Foell is a GP and teaches at Imperial College London. In a new guest blog for us, he reflects on encounters with patients needing Personal Independence Payment reports.
‘I need a report stating exactly what’s wrong with me,’ is her opening statement. It is the beginning of my afternoon surgery and I have seen her plenty of times, but never had the opportunity for a thorough and meaningful encounter. I am aware of the long back story including various mental health diagnoses and encounters with all sorts of state organisations. I am also aware of the various interlinked conditions … read the blog
Dr Jens Foell is a GP and teaches at Imperial College London. Here he reflects on encounters with patients needing Personal Independence Payment reports
‘I need a report stating exactly what’s wrong with me,’ is her opening statement. It is the beginning of my afternoon surgery and I have seen her plenty of times, but never had the opportunity for a thorough and meaningful encounter. I am aware of the long back story including various mental health diagnoses and encounters with all sorts of state organisations. I am also aware of the various interlinked conditions, ranging from obesity to high blood pressure to interactions between the side-effects of antipsychotic medication, their effects on weight and the risk of developing diabetes. And the aching knees. And the poor sleep. And the precarious financial situation.
I could press a special button and the printer would deliver a piece of paper with the main disease codes including a fairly recent statement about her frailty. But she is only 45! The code has been applied by the invisible hand on the basis of her unscheduled care encounters. Read More
