Universal Credit and earnings progression: evidence from a regression discontinuity design

Universal Credit aims to support benefit claimants to find work and to progress in work. This [...]

People claiming unemployment benefits by constituency

There were 1.80 million claimants in July 2024, which was 135,000 more than the month [...]

Carer’s Allowance overpayments

The scandal of overpayments shocked many people this spring when it was widely reported in the [...]

After the WCA: Competing visions of disability and welfare

After several near misses, the era of the Work Capability Assessment (WCA) may be coming [...]

An ‘interface first’ bureaucracy: Interface design, universal credit and the digital welfare state

The front-line of the welfare state is increasingly not a letter, phone call or face-to-face [...]

Universal credit: incomes, incentives and the remaining roll-out

What has been the impact of universal credit on incomes and work incentives? What challenges [...]

Old age tendencies – the impact of tax and benefit changes on intergenerational fairness ahead of the 2024 general election

In this Spotlight we look at the impact of spending, tax and benefit decisions taken [...]

Ratchets, retrenchment and reform – The social security system since 2010

Spending on social security as a share of GDP has risen slightly since the financial [...]

How the UK’s social security system stopped tackling poverty

The cost of living is the most important issue for many voters this election. It’s [...]

Disability benefits: lessons from the front line

The disability benefits system is broken. It has not adapted to a world where disability [...]