Download - Just about Surviving
Just About Surviving
Monitoring the impacts of welfare reform in Newham
Ellie Roberts,
Community Links
Research overview
‘Simplify the system and make work pay’
Need for evidence on impacts of reforms
Current government set on implementation; learning important for
future
Methods: 18 in-depth interviews with claimants, plus staff and
stakeholders
Finances
Squeeze on incomes is pushing people into ‘survival mode’
Coping strategies – often harmful
Competent money management and reluctant to take on debt
‘So I’ve got a roof over my head… the thing is that sometimes I
miss a week from the rent because something else has come up.
I’m robbing Peter to pay Paul’
Work
People enjoyed working but did not see it as a route out of
poverty
Financial ‘stick’ approach to ‘making work pay’ too limited
Sense of resignation and powerlessness amongst those who
could not work
‘If you work for the minimum wage, how to you pay your rent?’
‘I think they are trying to get everyone they can into work even if they are
wearing an oxygen mask’
Housing
Reforms to HB and LHA make people worry about meeting high
housing costs
DHP crucial to allowing people to meet costs.
People felt powerless to change their housing situations
‘I tried to look up how to move because the rent is too expensive… private rent is a whole load more compared to if I was accommodated by the council. It’s just not really working out for me.’
Support
Family and friends important for support and advice
Lack of trust in formal organisations to give support.
Organisations offering support feel constrained by what they
can offer.
‘They’re my support network and I need that even more than the
money – their emotional support… I don’t know what I would have
done if I didn’t have these people around me.’
Key points
Knock-on impacts – costs down the line
“Just About Surviving” day to day
System is short-termist
Unsustainable situations
Secure and Ready
Towards an Early Action social security system
Will Horwitz,
Early Action Task Force
Social security now
It does a big, important job
Insurance: dealing with setbacks
Social investment: seizing opportunity
Sometimes compensating for failures elsewhere
Often done badly, with knock on costs
Done badly…
Acts too late
Erodes confidence and self esteem
Stigmatises receipt of support
Ignores other support – eg from family and friends
Pays too little
Sometimes abandons people completely
= Insecurity
1) Insurance:
Ready to deal with setbacks
Act early
Presumption of willingness
More universal support
Recognise importance of relationships
Value other forms of contribution
Pay enough to live on
2) Social investment:
Ready to seize opportunity
Affordable housing
Stronger labour market institutions
Childcare
Health
Skills and education
Spending rules standing in the way
Short term budgets
Budget silos
Welfare cap
Initial ideas to stimulate change
Ten year planning/testing
Treat Early action spending like capital spending
Realign incentives & an early action loan fund
Reform the welfare cap
Where next?
Early action approaches gaining ground elsewhere
Changing the tone of the welfare debate
Applying framework to Jobcentre Plus