Voices from Greater ManchesterFriday 17th June 2016University of Salford

Professor Philip Brown

Making Research Count at The University of Salford

#GMWelCond

• National initiative across ten universities in England

• A knowledge broker

• Bringing together academics, practitioners, carers and users to facilitate the dissemination of social care research and theory

• The University of Salford is the regional hub for MRC in Greater Manchester

• Support the learning needs of a range of organisations in the sub-region

Making Research Count (MRC)

#GMWelCond

Overview of First Wave Findings Voices from Greater Manchester

Professor Peter Dwyer, University of York, UKKaty Jones, University of Salford, UKDr Lisa Scullion, University of Salford, UK

Friday 17th June 2016University of Salford, MediaCityUK @WelCond #GMWelCond

Part 1: Introduction to Welfare Conditionality: Sanctions, Support and Behaviour Change

Part 2: First wave findings: sanctions and support

Part 3: First wave findings: behaviour change and ethics

Overview of presentation 5

Part 1: Introduction to Welfare Conditionality: Sanctions, Support and Behaviour Change

Professor Peter DwyerUniversity of York, UK

6

Twin aims:

To consider the ethics and efficacy of welfare conditionality

Fieldwork with three sets of respondents:

1. Semi-structured interviews with 52 Policy Stakeholders 2. 27 focus groups with frontline welfare practitioners who implement policy3. Three rounds of repeat qualitative longitudinal interviews with a diverse

sample of 480 welfare recipients who are subject to conditionality i.e. 1440 interviews in total.

Funded by ESRC grant ES/K002163 /2

Welfare conditionality: sanctions, support and behaviour change (2013-2018)

7

Exploring welfare conditionality across a range of policy domains and groups

Recipients of social security benefits (unemployed people, lone parents, disabled people, Universal Credit ), homeless people, social tenants, individuals/families subject to anti-social behaviour orders/family intervention projects, offenders and migrants

Locations in England and Scotland

Bath, Bristol, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness, London, Manchester, Peterborough, Salford, Sheffield, Warrington

Welfare conditionality: sanctions, support and behaviour change (2013-2018)

8

A principle of conditionality

Access to certain basic publicly provided welfare entitlements should “be subject to the condition that those who receive them behave in particular ways, or participate in specified activities” (Deacon, 1994: 53)

So what - conditionality is nothing new!

The link between social rights and contractual obligations of citizens has long been explicit (e.g. Beveridge Report, 1942; Freud, 2007; DWP, 2008).

Social citizenship reconfigured: emergence of the conditional welfare state (Dwyer, 1998-2016)

Entered an era of ‘ubiquitous conditionality’ (Dwyer and Wright, 2014) Focus on ‘conduct conditionality’ (Clasen and Clegg, 2007)

Welfare conditionality? 9

Part 2: Sanctions and support

Katy JonesUniversity of Salford, UK

10

Negative impacts universally reported by welfare service users

I've gone a lot more into myself.… To be honest, it's stressed me out that much…I'm just not how I was, where I was always full of life (Female Universal Credit claimant, Greater Manchester)

Counter productive and negative consequences

They shouldn't just take money off people and leave them with nothing, do you know what I mean? It shouldn't happen. See I had to go out robbing when they done that, do you know what I mean? I didn't do the food banks then. I had to go out robbing (Male subject to ASB measures, Greater Manchester)

Sanctions 11

Disproportionate and inappropriate sanctions

It was a genuine mistake but I'd still gone in that day, it's not as though I hadn't turned up or anything. So I rang up straightaway, I explained my situation and like I say it was generally just daft, but it was a mistake, an innocent but stupid mistake, we all make mistakes but I still did turn up and I got a sanction for a week (Male Universal Credit claimant, Greater Manchester)

Lack of communication and understanding

I had so many sanctions and I didn't know what they were for. I rang the lady, it took about two weeks actually for this actual lady to actually ring me back (Female Universal Credit claimant, Greater Manchester)

Sanctions 12

Negative experiences of support widespread

They should be focusing on getting you a job so you'd never have to worry about sanctions. Because it's called the Jobcentre not the Sanctioncentre. You know what I mean? (Male Universal Credit claimant, Greater Manchester)

Some good practice is evident – but variation across geographical areas, providers, advisors, etc.

What it is, I think you've got one person thinks he's better than the rest, and that's it, you're getting sanctioned. It's like sometimes when you go in there, some of them will talk to you like a piece of rubbish... it just depends what side of the bed they get out, if you ask me…The one I've got now, [name of advisor] touch wood, he's been really nice with me (Male Universal Credit claimant, Greater Manchester)

Support 13

The significance of support

I've had a few food parcels from my housing [provider], or Citizens Advice, and my nan will cook tea and things as I need (Female Universal Credit claimant, Greater Manchester)

Great, absolutely great…it has helped me understand a lot more, be a better mum than I was. It's helped him be a million times better dad than he was, because he's had the same support (Female subject to family intervention, Greater Manchester)

Flexibility required in responding to additional barriers and needs

I don't think I could do a heavy manual job for 40 hours a week. I could do one with light duties…I’m finding my own way to be honest. No, they don't give or offer you much real support (Male ex-offender on ESA, Greater Manchester)

Support 14

Part 3: Behaviour change and ethics

Dr Lisa ScullionUniversity of Salford, UK

15

A stated aim of conditionality is positive behaviour change to:

– prepare for or find paid work– maintain and advance in paid work– encourage responsible behaviour

Assumption that positive behaviour amongst target groups is not possible without coercion …

Behaviour change16

Virtually all welfare service user interviewees expressed the desire for the types of positive behaviour intended

You want to find work. You want to save up for things…you want a better standard of living. Working is the only way you can do it (Male Universal Credit claimant, Greater Manchester)

Limited evidence of welfare conditionality bringing about behaviour change

They think, because they've slapped me with an ASBO, they think that I'm going to behave. But I'm not…Because they're doing it wrong. The conditions that I've got on that ASBO, it's unbelievable (Male subject to ASB measures, Greater Manchester)

Behaviour change17

Rare that conditionality worked to move people closer to the labour market

Well, I want a job so I'd carry on doing what I'm doing anyway…It's not as if, if you don't get a sanction you're not going to do anything about getting a job…I want a job, so give me a job, I will go on it, I will for my own sanity (Female Universal Credit claimant, Greater Manchester)

Behaviour change to comply with process at the expense of outcome

[A] company wanted an HGV driver right I had to apply for that but I don't drive. Now where's the logic there do you know what I mean?...I applied for everything that was there just to prove to them that I'm applying for it. You're never going to get the job (Male Universal Credit claimant, Greater Manchester)

Behaviour change18

Broad support for the principle of welfare conditionality (i.e. ‘rights’ being linked to ‘responsibilities’)

You can't just take out of the system and expect not to put nothing back in ourselves, do you know what I mean? (Male subject to ASB measures, Greater Manchester)

But … this did not mean uncritical acceptance - widespread concern around: – Inappropriate application– Proportionality – Questions of deserving and undeserving – Lack of personalisation

Ethics - Support for conditionality? 19

Concerns around the extension of conditionality to previously exempt ‘groups’ (e.g. disabled people)

They've just sent me a letter saying that basically they want me off ESA and back on JSA...It's pretty worrying actually. I can't go on JSA when I'm on this treatment. I can't get out of the house let alone go look for work (Male ESA claimant subject to ASB measures, Greater Manchester)

Concerns around ‘in-work’ (counter-productive) conditionality

I got this second sanction for like a week. Now I'm working [temporarily]…What they do is they pigeonhole it and then when I actually do start claiming Universal Credit again then suddenly they'll make this one week sanction (Male Universal Credit claimant, Greater Manchester)

Ethics - Inappropriate application 20

What level of sanction is acceptable for non-compliance?

They shouldn't just take money off people and leave them with nothing, do youknow what I mean? It shouldn't happen (Male subject to ASB measures, Greater Manchester) The need to retain a basic minimum even when sanctioned

Everyone should be entitled to a roof over their head whether you're earning or not. People's circumstances are different. Some people can't help it, some can. Something could happen to me and I could be out of work tomorrow (Female social Housing respondent, Greater Manchester)

Ethics - Proportionality 21

Many WSUs assert their entitlement by stating that welfare conditionality is fair when applied to other ‘undeserving’ groups (e.g. migrants, ‘druggies’, people ‘on the sick’)

They've let [in] all these foreign people…the Government should have helped us English people first, who were here, then started letting people in. Not let people in first and then think, 'Oh, my God, what are we going to do now?' (Male ESA claimant subject to ASB measures, Greater Manchester)

It gets a bit ridiculous, especially when I can stand at my kitchen window and see all the drug dealers walking past who never seem to get pulled up about why they've never had a job in 35 years (Male Universal Credit claimant, Greater Manchester)

Everyone has their own legitimating position/frame contributing to discourses around ‘deservedness’

Ethics - Questions of deserving and undeserving

22

A need to treat people as human beings

They don't really look at the person, they just think, oh, I'll mark him off. Do you know what I mean? (Male JSA claimant, Greater Manchester)

One size fits all approach seen as flawed and unfair – need a more personalised approach reflecting people’s needs, capabilities and responsibilities outside the paid labour market

[You mention what you've done in the past and then you say what you've actually done to look for work...There's no real, ‘well could you do this? Could you do that?’. It's ‘you're doing this’ (Male Universal Credit claimant, Greater Manchester,

Ethics - Personalised approach to welfare conditionality

23

Thank you

Project website: www.welfareconditionality.ac.uk

Follow us on @WelCond

For more information contact:Vici Armitage, Project Manager, vici.armitage@york.ac.uk

Peter Begg

Welfare: what’s all the fuss about?

#GMWelCond

Refreshments and Networking

Break

#GMWelCond

The impact of welfare conditionality in Salford

#GMWelCond

DWP’s conditionality and sanctions regime & the impacts in Salford.

One Year On report.

17th June 2016

What is DWP’s Conditionality & Sanctions regime?

• DWP conditionality forms part of wider Welfare Reform measures linking benefit payments to ‘responsible behaviour’ and outlines what is expected of claimants in order to receive benefit;

• The main benefits affected are JSA , ESA , IS and Universal Credit (UC);

• UC includes an extensive sanction regime including ‘in work’ conditionality which is currently being piloted in Salford;

• Sanctions are applied to claimants who breach conditionality rules ; the main reasons are failing to prove you have undertaken all required work search and failing to attend a JCP or Work programme appointment;

• Hardship payments are available in certain circumstances must prove destitution;

• Sanction decisions can be challenged but the process is complex and can be protracted so claimants benefit from independent advice.

Background to Salford’s partnership work on benefit conditionality and sanctions

Task force chaired by CEO of Salford CVS Alison Page includes representatives from Salford Unemployed and Community Resource Centre, Salford Citizen’s Advice Bureau, Salford City Council’s Welfare Rights and Debt Advice Service, Housing Benefit and Skills and Work Commissioning Team.

Wide range of organisations in Salford contributed evidence including; The Broughton Trust, National Probation Service, GP Lead for Mental Health on CCG, Supported Tenancies, Salford City College, Work Clubs, Social housing providers, Loaves and Fishes, Start, Salford Central Foodbank, Salford Foundation, Connexions, Salford Credit Union, Children’s Services Early Intervention and Next Step services

Produced an interim report in August 2014 which uncovered wide scale evidence of sanctioning in Salford Jobcentres and rafts of evidence from agencies who were dealing with the consequences of benefit sanctions whilst not always understanding the cause.

What did the task force set out to achieve?

Raise awareness about the DWP’s conditionality and sanctions regime;

Understand how the regime impacts both residents and organisations;

Find out whether the regime works for Salford residents – does it support residents to improve skills and achieve sustained employment;

Identify a set of recommendations to implement in the city to make Salford an area of “best practice”.

What has the sanctions work told us ?

What are the impacts of the regime on Salford residents

and local organisations?

Impact on Salford residents, their families and community

Eviction Debt

Food poverty

Health & well-Being

Skills, training & employability

Crime

Education Illegal money lending

Debt

Homelessness

Health & Well-being

Food poverty Skills, training & employabilityCrime &

Domestic abuse

Sanctions leave households already in crisis with little or no money for essential items; unable to pay household bills including rent and utilities (adding to debt), taking out costly loans (adding further to debt and cycle of loans), adding to family stress and ability to cope.

Other households have previously been coping financially but as a result of sanctions are now finding themselves in hardship or crisis and will now require additional costly support.’

Salford Discretionary Support Scheme.

18 to 25’s are most impacted by sanctions

18-24 25-29 30-34 35-9 40-44 45-49 50-54 55-59 60+0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

4000

4500

JSA : Decision to apply a sanction (adverse)

2013 2014 2015

Relationship withservice users

Change of focus for service

delivery

Demand for services

Cost of service delivery

Expertise re conditionality & sanctions

Impact on Salford’s agencies and services

‘Anecdotally we have seen increasing numbers of patients coming through over the last 2-3 years with mental health problems exacerbated by the changes to the benefit system.

For some people this has led to a deterioration in an existing mental health problem and for others, they have presented with a new onset mental health illness, usually depression/anxiety. This has obviously led to an increase in GP workload with significant numbers being referred on to our psychological therapy services.’

Dr Tom Tasker, Clinical Lead, Mental Health Salford CCG

Do sanctions improve employment rates?

• Officially, sanctioned claimants are allegedly not removed from the claimant count, but the task group conclude that the conditionality regime is leading to claimants being “bullied off the books”;

• Analysis by the Centre for Economic and Social Inclusion (November 2013) illustrates how three out of every ten people referred for sanction ‘drop’ their claim - this is double the rate in 2007. These people are therefore removed from the claimant count – the “disappeared”

• Local Government Association research shows approximately 1 million unemployed people are not claiming JSA;

• Connexions data in May 2015 showed 60% of registered NEET 18-24 year olds in Salford not claiming benefit any at all

What has the task force focussed on since the interim report to improve

outcomes for residents and local organisations?

We continue working as a partnership to implement our interim recommendations

Supporting residents and frontline workers to understand conditionality through training and awareness sessionsImproving communications (JCP, HB, etc)Joint work with frontline JCP staff on identification of “vulnerability” Started to develop a common recording system to evidence impact and feed up to decision makers/commissionersHolding the Work Programme accountableHighlighting the need to resource support services including Salford Credit Union, Salford Discretionary Support Scheme, advice servicesOngoing city wide loan shark awareness campaign

Our top 3 achievements We have demonstrated the human (and fiscal) cost of benefit sanctions and this work has provided an evidence base in the City to raise poverty and social justice issues at a strategic and political level . City Council has committed to leading on a new partnership strategy to tackle poverty in 2016

Improvements in local practice leading to JCP in Salford implementing safeguarding measures to quality assure claimant commitments (focusing on ESA claimants) also report hardship payment data for the city to the FIPG

Initiated and supported joint work with Next Step service and JCP to set up a process to ensure young care leavers are not sanctioned which has been very successful. We have rolled this approach out to other vulnerable claimants eg “Troubled Families”.

Salford City Mayor v IDS

Our recommendations• Protect the safety net (SDSS, SCU, WRADAS)• Upskill all frontline workers eg revised Family CAF• We must engage GMCA in this agenda• Agreement between JCP and the task force to continue

to work towards improvement in local practice, local accountability

• Further research particularly into the 18-25’s• Salford’s agencies, residents groups and politicians

campaign together for an independent inquiry into benefit sanctions

DWP will only share publicly available data so we want to secure agreement from agencies to record sanctions, to ensure our evidence base locally is robust.

We intend to work closely with local MP’s to obtain data and will submit FOI’s

GMCA through devolution have more influence over the welfare to work delivery model in GM so the lines of accountability around conditionality and mandation could become blurred potentially pushing people away from support

We want to open up a dialogue using our research to ensure this evidence influences GM commissioning

Reducing claimant numbers, a fall in adverse sanction decisions, a rise in UC claimants both in and out of work……………………….……

We think there’s more of a story to tell……..

Our top 3 challenges

Local conditionality: welcome or feared?

Malcolm GardnerThe Welfare Reform Club

#GMWelCond

A new future for skills and employment in Greater

ManchesterCouncillor Sean AnsteeTrafford Metropolitan Borough Council

#GMWelCond

Panel discussion• Councillor Sean Anstee • Peter Begg• Professor Peter Dwyer• Malcolm Gardner• Katy Jones• Dr Lisa Scullion• Catherine Connors, Salford City Council

#GMWelCond

Conference Close

#GMWelCond

Dr Lisa Scullion