Dr Hayley Bennett

Some of us in the @spaemploysocsec.bsky.social have written an article on Labour's employment and social security policies post 2024 for a Special Issue. Open Access here:

www.cambridge.org/core/journal...

📢 Applications are open for the University Policy Engagement Network’s (UPEN) Participation Fund!

For further information and how to apply, visit: www.bath.ac.uk/announcement...

#PolicyEngagement #PublicPolicy #ResearchImpact #KnowledgeExchange

Pushed into the wrong job? Assessing the link between conditionality and poor quality employment

@neweconomics.bsky.social

www.rightsnet.org.uk/now/post/69993

A reminder that nominations are welcome for the SPA awards. A hard deadline this year of 5pm on Monday 2nd March.

SPA Annual Conference 2026 - Social Policy Association Liverpool Hope University, Creative Campus, Shaw Street, Liverpool, L6 1HP The Social Policy Association is pleased to announce that Liverpool will host the 2026 event, [...]

Liverpool Hope University is hosting the SPA 2026 conference, taking place from 1st to 3rd July.

Registration is now open, and the deadline for abstract and symposia submissions is Monday, 16th March 2026.

Vew all information on our conference webpage ⬇️⬇️ social-policy.org.uk/what-we-do/c...

Understanding and shaping a digital welfare state in Scotland A collaborative event to discuss digital and technological approaches to the design & delivery of welfare services in Scotland and the UK

31st March, University of Edinburgh: “Understanding & shaping a digital welfare state in Scotland" with research presentations, practice discussions, & an aim of co-producing some principles for digital welfare in Scotland. We've a great line up, free but places limited, sign-up here
edin.ac/4qFme9S

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The advert for a permanent role in finance stating the following, raises various questions right now:

"where you’ll do meaningful work, grow and progress, be rewarded and recognised, and benefit from our strong commitment to your wellbeing".

1. Why are some subject areas still hiring when UoE's £500k consultants haven't proposed their reshaping, merging plans yet?
2. Existing staff at risk of redundancy have the right to apply for 'alternative work' via an internal process before external hiring (this is law & UoE HR policy)

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University of Edinburgh is experiencing prolonged cuts, our 3rd round of VR, no job replacements when people leave, some colleagues likely to be put on compulsory redundancy soon. But hey ho, the business school & economics school are externally advertising for permanent academic jobs 🤔

I enjoyed reading this, for a full range of reasons (including various snippets where I thought "have I already sat with Sue and ranted after a glass of wine on these double standards"!).

The Hidden Cost of Italy’s Care System: Pension Gaps and the Precarious Future of Ukrainian Care Workers - Social Policy Association By Maria Izzo, Doctoral Researcher in Health and Social Policy, University of Glasgow. — Nina, a Ukrainian woman in her mid-seventies, lives and works in [...]

📣New blog: "The Hidden Cost of Italy’s Care System: Pension Gaps and the Precarious Future of Ukrainian Care Workers"

By Maria Izzo, Doctoral Researcher in Health and Social Policy, University of Glasgow.

▶️ social-policy.org.uk/news/the-hid...

For months, we have been digging into a big myth — that strong social protection holds back economic growth.🔍

Spoiler: it doesn’t.💪

We launch our findings tomorrow in our report 'More than a Safety Net'. Stay tuned.🚀

For now, hear it from @stephenboydippr.bsky.social ⤵️

Britons ‘working harder for less’ as living standards see historic slowdown More than half of households in poverty now contain a working person, report finds

Meanwhile, in the UK: "More than half of households in poverty now contain a working person, report finds"

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home...

The politics of failure have failed.

ASAP UK February Seminar: Social Security and Poverty reflecting on the post General Election period and looking ahead to the Devolved Parliament elections. 26th February 2026 2:30-4pm This webinar will bring together one of the ASAP UK election auditors with two academics from Wales and Scotland to discuss the current housing challenges in relation to ...

ASAP UK webinar: 'Social Security & Poverty reflecting on the post General Election period & looking ahead to the Devolved Parliament elections'. ASAP UK manifesto audit & the anti-poverty challenges in the lead up to the Scottish & Welsh elections: 26.2.26 2:30-4pm

docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...

Explore the latest Quarterly Highlights Collection and read about the research on our blog @samwarner.bsky.social @dianecoyle1859.bsky.social @profdaverichards.bsky.social @clemmiehilloconnor.bsky.social @haylesben.bsky.social @catherineneedham.bsky.social policyandpoliticsblog.com/2026/02/02/q...

📣 Call for special issues 📣

If you'd like to guest edit a special issue of Policy & Politics submit your proposal by 30 April!

Learn more here bristoluniversitypressdigital.com/view/journal...

#PublicPolicy #PolicySky #PolicyStudies

CAHSS Network for the Study of Work With funding from the CAHSS Interdisciplinary Fund, we are pleased to announce the launch of the Network for the Study of Work (NSW).

With many thanks to @uoe-cahss.bsky.social for funding, I'm delighted that the Network for the Study of Work (NSW) is launching in February:

www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/cahss-netw...

With help from @haylesben.bsky.social, @ibalilebali.bsky.social and @tomoshea.org

Nominations are open for the SPA awards

haha I had a full rant on LinkedIn on Monday after receiving some poor quality peer reviews about feedback and the general culture of peer review. Couldn't hold it in any longer!

📢 Job Vacancy📢

City-REDI is hiring for a full time Policy and Data Analyst, fixed term contract up to September 2027.

Find out more and apply by 4th February.

https://ow.ly/k9AH50Y0vHO

Head of Research: Qualitative Methods and Evaluation - Learning and Work Institute

Apply to be the new Head of Research at L&W!

In this role, you would lead innovative, impactful research and evaluation projects across our focus areas of employment and skills. 🔍

Think you'd be the right fit? Find out more and apply by 20 February. 📬

I'm nudging that if framing discussions in terms of 'welfare dependency' to think about all who depend on income from the welfare state, broadening beyond ppl in direct receipt of benefits to include a range of others in our society whose business models or income depend on our welfare state model.

www.researchgate.net/profile/Lind...

bristoluniversitypressdigital.com/view/journal...

I think there's a critical (& IMO important) distinction between calling groups of people 'dependent on welfare' & use of a less politicised phrase of 'in receipt of social security'. I don't mind having diff views but some links to why it might matter onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1...

I agree with the "turkeys and Xmas" point you're raising, but the phrase 'most dependent on welfare'??? Simply "in receipt of social security' would work. (Many people in receipt of benefits are part of in-work households. Who is really depending on this money? Employers? Landlords perhaps?)

*we don't have to limit

I don't really read the Evening Standard but they had an article "why don't we take free transport off older people and give to the young". Actually we don't to limit policy making to pitching ppl against each other (e.g. in Scotland there's free or discounted travel for both age groups).

Academics Stand Against Poverty UK | Manifesto Audit ASAP UK brings together a range of academics who have carried out a review of 9 key topics to consider the effectiveness of the public policy platforms in reducing poverty.

I'll be contributing to the Academics Stand Against Poverty Webinar on 26th February 2026 (2:30-4pm) discussing social security and Welsh and Scot Elections alongside Richard Machin and @rodhick.bsky.social

eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com?url=https%3A...

The SPA awards are now open for nominations in the categories below. Please get in touch if you have questions.