Understanding Social Security: Issues for Policy and Practice

by Luke Martinelli (Contribution by), Dan Finn (Contribution by), Sue Watson (Contribution by), Ruth Patrick (Contribution by), John Hudson (Contribution by)

Overview

The political and economic landscape of UK social security provision has changed significantly since the 2008 financial crisis. This fully revised, restructured and updated 3rd edition of a go-to text book covers all the key policy changes and their implications since the elections of 2010 and 2015.

With contributions from leading academics in the field this book critically examines the design, entitlement, delivery and impact of current welfare provision. The first half of the book examines social security across the lifecycle from Child Benefit to retirement pensions. The second half focuses on key issues in policy and practice including new topics such as the realities of life on benefits in an era of austerity, and the pros and cons of Universal Basic Income.

• Framework supports teachers and students, encouraging analytical thinking of issues and providing pointers to related sources

• Authoritative and evidence-based arguments

• Clear section and chapter summaries, overviews, questions for discussion, website resources and a bibliography

• Includes tables, charts and text boxes for clarity, interest and appeal

This book is suitable for undergraduate and postgraduate students of Social Policy taking modules on Social Security Policy, Poverty and Inequality, Income Support and Welfare Reform, as well as Social Work students and those on other Social Science degree programmes.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781447339472
Publisher:	Bristol University Press
Publication date:	05/01/2018
Series:	Understanding Welfare: Social Issues, Policy and Practice
Edition description:	Third Edition
Pages:	280
Product dimensions:	6.70(w) x 9.40(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

Ruth Patrick is Professor of Social Policy at the University of York.

Professor of Social Policy, University of York

Dr Zoe Irving is a Senior Lecturer at the University of York and a member of the Executive Committee of the UK Social Policy Association. Published works surrounding Social Policy, gender employment and economic crises.

Lecturer in International Social Policy at the University of York.

Nicola Yeates is Professor of Social Policy in the Department of Social Policy and Criminology at The Open University.

Bozena Sojka is Research Associate at the University of Glasgow.

Jane Millar is Professor of Social Policy and Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research at the University of Bath, UK. She has written widely on issues of social security policy, in particular on family policy and the policy implications of family change.

Tess Ridge is a Lecturer in Social Policy at the University of Bath. She is a trustee of the Child Poverty Action Group and Honorary Secretary of the Social Policy Association.

Jane Millar is Professor of Social Policy and Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research at the University of Bath, UK. She has written widely on issues of social security policy, in particular on family policy and the policy implications of family change.

Table of Contents

1 Social security: the landscape 1

What are the aims of social security? 2

What benefits do we have, and how do they differ? 3

How much do we spend on social security? 5

Who delivers social security? 6

Who receives social security? 7

Do we pay the 'right' benefit to the 'right' people? 9

Austerity and 'welfare reform' 11

Reading this book 13

Conclusion 15

References 15

2 Social security support for children 21

Introduction 21

Benefits for children: numbers in receipt and expenditure 23

Why does the state provide support for children? 24

Changing the landscape: benefits for children in the 21st century 28

Conclusion 34

Questions for discussion 35

Key reading 35

Website resources 35

References 36

3 Social security and work obligations 39

Introduction 39

Social security: unemployment and jobseeking 40

Social security: in-work benefits and tax credits 44

Universal Credit 47

Conclusion 53

Questions for discussion 54

Key reading 54

Website resources 55

References 55

4 Disabled people and carers 59

Introduction 59

The evolution of extra needs benefits 60

The evolution of benefits for carers 62

How eligibility conditions for extra needs benefits have developed 64

Uses of extra needs benefits 64

Trends in the numbers of extra needs benefits and benefits for carers 66

Extra needs benefits and benefits for carers in an international context 67

Disability and carers' benefits and employment 69

Adequacy of Disability Living Allowance/Personal Independence Payment and Carer's Allowance 71

Where next for extra needs benefits and benefits for carers? 72

Conclusion 74

Questions for discussion 75

Key reading 76

Website resources 76

References 76

5 Protecting pensioners 79

Introduction 79

The UK pensions system 80

Policy changes since 2010 88

Incomes and employment of pensioners 91

Key policy issues and challenges 95

Questions for discussion 96

Key reading 96

Website resources 97

References 97

6 Gender and social security 99

Introduction 99

The position of women and men in relation to the main types of benefits/tax credits 100

Women and welfare reform 103

Cumulative gender impact assessment of welfare reforms 108

Gender implications of new and potential policy measures 109

Conclusion 112

Questions for discussion 113

Key reading 113

Website resources 113

References 113

7 Social security and the 'management' of migration 119

Introduction 120

Political questions and debates 121

Conceptual challenges: linking migration, social security and 'welfare' 124

Policy in practice 126

Conclusion 132

Questions for discussion 135

Key reading 135

Website resources 135

References 135

8 Social security in a global context 141

Introduction 141

Social security principles and systems around the world 143

International collaboration in social security 148

Social security in a mobile world: international cooperation agreements 150

Conclusion 154

Questions for discussion 155

Key reading 156

Website resources 156

References 157

9 Who benefits and who pays? 159

Introduction 159

A political economy approach 160

Who pays? 162

Who benefits? The micro level 166

What is social security for? The macro level 172

Conclusion 174

Questions for discussion 176

Key reading 176

Website resources 177

References 177

10 Public attitudes to 'welfare' 179

Introduction 179

Contemporary attitudes to 'welfare' 180

A 'hardening' of attitudes to 'welfare'? 182

Public attitudes and the politics of 'welfare' 187

From attitudes to values and culture 189

Questions for discussion 192

Key reading 192

Website resources 192

References 193

11 Everyday life on benefits 197

Introduction 197

The dominant narrative of welfare dependency 199

Lived experiences of out-of-work benefits receipt: hard choices and going without 200

The work of 'getting by' 203

Debt and informal borrowing 205

Contributions made by those 'getting by' 206

Choice and agency 207

Benefits stigma 209

Conclusion 211

Questions for discussion 212

Key reading 212

Website resources 213

12 Jobcentres and the delivery of employment services and benefits 217

Introduction 217

Delivery of employment and related services 218

From Labour Exchanges to Jobcentres 219

An 'employment first' welfare state and Jobcentre plus 222

Jobcentres and the Universal Credit delivery system 224

Digital Jobcentres, work coaches and delivery flexbilities 225

Jobcentre performance targets and sanctions 226

Changes in the welfare to work market and the Work Programme 227

Changing relationship between Jobcentres and local government 229

Conclusion 230

Questions for discussion 231

Key reading 231

Website resources 232

References

13 Making it simple? Universal basic income 235

Introduction 236

Problems with the existing system 237

Reshaping society 239

Against universal basic income: the counter-arguments 240

Universal basic income in practice 242

Evidence on desirability and feasibility 244

Conclusion 248

Questions for discussion 249

Key reading 249

Website resources 249

References 253

14 Facing the future: Where next for social security? 255

The economy, society and social security 256

Why increasing understanding of social security is a good idea 259

Unpicking 'welfare reform' 260

Taking the temperature of contemporary debates 261

Conclusion 262

References 263

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"An indispensable, up-to-date guide to the UK social security system written by the country’s leading experts in a clear and engaging style." Karen Rowlingson, University of Birmingham

"A godsend of a book! It guides the student through the maze that is welfare reform. I would not hesitate to recommend it." Dr. Lavinia Mitton, University of Kent

“Fully updated to reflect a rapidly changing policy landscape, this engaging volume by a stellar cast provides a valuable overview of social security in the UK. Combining policy discussion with empirical evidence, including insights from qualitative research, it will prove an essential resource for students.” Dr Kitty Stewart, London School of Economics and Political Science

Editorial Reviews

The book’s chapters are a reliable guide to the current state of social security and to the challenges that the system faces. Quite sensibly they [the editors] decide not to predict what changes will have occurred by the time a fourth edition of their most useful book is written in a few years’ time.” Citizen’s Income

"This is an excellent book with clear explanations of policy aims and the evidence and arguments surrounding various welfare benefits and their administration. It covers a huge breadth of issues and adopts a coherent thematic approach." Neville Harris, University of Manchester

From the Publisher

The book’s chapters are a reliable guide to the current state of social security and to the challenges that the system faces. Quite sensibly they [the editors] decide not to predict what changes will have occurred by the time a fourth edition of their most useful book is written in a few years’ time.” “The book’s chapters are a reliable guide to the current state of social security and to the challenges that the system faces. Quite sensibly they [the editors] decide not to predict what changes will have occurred by the time a fourth edition of their most useful book is written in a few years’ time.

Citizen's Income