John Hudson

York Minster at Night image, (C) Alex Holland/University of York

Next month the University of York hosts the Social Policy Association and East Asian Social Policy Research Network – Joint Annual Conference: Go your own way? Social Policy in an era of fracturing solidarities. Follow this account for updates #York2025 @socialpolicyuk.bsky.social‬

The Household Support Fund is now the 'Crisis and Resilience Fund' and will be funded at £1 bn/yr (incl. Barnett) until the end of 2028-29. The first multi-year funding will be very helpful for local authorities delivering the scheme as they can now plan, develop their approach, retain staff etc.

The last Labour government had a lot of success on child poverty by getting parents into work, but the current one is working in a different context: most families in poverty now have someone working, and those that don't face significant barriers. New research by @mikebrewerecon.bsky.social and me

I’m dreaming of a white paper Sadly, the English Devolution White Paper isn’t it

I'm dreaming of a white paper...

My take on the plans for English devolution

craigberry.substack.com/p/im-dreamin...

District councils face scrapping in major overhaul of English local government Devolution white paper aims to create larger authorities and more elected mayors

Follow Safety Nets team members on here including @mikebrewerecon.bsky.social @alexclegg.bsky.social @haylesben.bsky.social @johnhudson.bsky.social @kateandersen.bsky.social & check out @jenwilliamsft.bsky.social fab exclusive on the plans in @financialtimes.com on.ft.com/3BExFeo

Making social protection work for gender equality: What does it look like? How do we get there? This paper outlines the perspective and approach of the ILO’s Universal Social Protection Department to enhancing the gender-responsiveness of social protection policies, anchored in international soc...

Happy Sunday! Sharing our paper on enhancing the gender-responsiveness of social protection policies, with a strong emphasis a life-cycle approach to system-building. www.ilo.org/publications...

On a related note, the recent (supposed) increases in economic inactivity due to ill health, and rising claims for health-related benefits, has been used to justify claims that we have a "spiralling" benefits bill.

But when we look at welfare spending forecasts *in the round*, this just isn't true

EXCL: DWP and £11m supplier prep five gen AI projects ‘with director general sponsorship’ PublicTechnology understands that the department's directors general are working on the rollout of tech programmes that senior leaders believe have ‘a high likelihood of being scalable into the overal...

Exclusive from Public Technology: DWP working with IBM to develop 5 generative AI projects.

🧵 of my thoughts below

www.publictechnology.net/2024/12/04/s...

The Scottish government has made the right decision on the two-child limit, but Westminster must now step up and scrap it UK-wide. There can be no justification now for Westminster to drag its feet and continue to roll out poverty to more and more children through this policy.

Welfare system failing the sick and the taxpayer, says employment minister A green paper on welfare reform is due next year and is expected to address issues with benefit claims

"She blamed Conservative reform cuts to jobseekers’ benefits for widening gap between those seeking work and those deemed too ill to work"

Good to see @allymcgovern.bsky.social's testimony to Lords EAC, echoing me/@benbgeiger.bsky.social. Growing consensus.

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

We went to Downing Street to demand an end to child poverty Nearly 200 parents and carers, alongside the Child Poverty Action Group, went to parliament to demand action from the Labour government.

A week ago, I joined 12 parents from @changingrealities.bsky.social for a meeting at No 10 with Bridgit Phillipson & @alimcgovern.bsky.social

It felt symbolically important. We need a child poverty strategy that works with the grain of everyday lives

www.bigissue.com/opinion/chan...

This is a long read, but if you’re interested in the practicalities of devolution and collaborative leadership, it’s well worth the time to read.
It’s a sample of one. And there may be unique reasons it’s working here, e.g. Manchester’s Co-operative history.
But inspiring nevertheless.

Council funding to be redirected from England’s rich areas to most deprived Ministers will also consider local authority requests to raise council tax above threshold on case-by-case basis

This move is a reversal of successive Govts’ policy since 2010 which has in effect removed deprivation-based formula.

Although change= winners & losers, there’s a clear rationale & detail to bring forward wider measures to stabilise funding is good overall... www.theguardian.com/society/2024...

Rachel Reeves pushes back multiyear UK spending review until June Delay from planned spring 2025 Treasury announcement will extend period of uncertainty for government departments

FT can reveal that the big spending review has been pushed back from the spring to June

(but Treasury still pretending that June is in the spring lol)

www.ft.com/content/edc2...

The official launch of the Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty is taking place today at the G20 Leaders' Summit. The Alliance unites global efforts to fight hunger, reduce inequalities and promote sustainable development,
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The Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty was officially launched today during the G20 Leaders' Summit. Proposed by Brazil's presidency at the G20, the Alliance has already 148 members.

#G20Brasil #G20brazil #G20brazil2024 #G20LeadersSummit #LeadersSummit

Budget reflections a few hours on... 🧵1/7

In her statement the Chancellor said 'change must be felt' - she's right. And it's people experiencing hardship who most need to feel it.

Today's budget contained some necessary actions and some problems...

Chart showing Estimated number of families and children affected by the two-child limit: GB

The Government's decision to leave the two-child limit in place at the Budget will have a material impact, as the policy affects an increasing number of children as time goes on,

We estimate that an additional 63,000 children will become affected by the policy between now and April 2025.

Lots of negatives from the budget for welfare but let's start with a big-picture positive:

The government is successfully carving out the fiscal space for significant public investment in the economy and public services. That was their most important task

Why it's smart policy and smart politics for the Labour government to engage with social innovation and experiment It’s no secret that Labour’s focus on campaigning sometimes came at the expense of attention to policy or preparation for government.   Here I mention one of the gaps which I hope gets some attention ...

Good challenge from Geoff Mulgan (who I don’t think is On Here) for this government and also the world of R&D and universities on the need to invest in social innovation www.geoffmulgan.com/post/why-the...

Excellent news that the Household Support Fund has been extended. This enables English councils to provide vital crisis support & now we don't face a cliff edge of support disappearing as we head into the winter. Now let's use the time to design a long-term replacement.

UK government to extend hardship fund for struggling households Move comes as chancellor faces mounting criticism over removing winter fuel payments from some pensioners

UK government to extend hardship fund for struggling households

www.ft.com/content/da1b...

We expected this but rising energy bills will pile more pressure on families already facing hunger, hardship & debt. And on foodbanks already at breaking point. Government must use their first Budget to protect those facing the worst hardship. We need urgent action.

Energy price cap: Typical household to pay £149 more a year Energy regulator Ofgem announces price changes for 27 million households in England, Wales and Scotland.

Going to be a hard winter

Average energy bill to rise £149 (10%) in October.

❌7m low income households already going without essentials in May

❌No cost of living payments this winter.

❌No Household Support Fund if it’s not renewed next mth

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

It’s a real problem that most people on high incomes (top 10%/20%) don’t realise they’re on high incomes. They think they’re in the middle. So policies that only affect the top 20-1% get reported as if they affect the majority of the public. People sending kids…1/3

It’s time to end blame culture over benefits bill, says Labour minister Exclusive: Work and pensions secretary Liz Kendall pledges to halt Tory ‘salami slicing’ of benefits, but Labour under fire for union pay deals

NEW: Labour will end blame culture aimed at people out of work and will not repeat the “salami slicing” of the benefits bill, the work & pensions secretary tells me - but says costs are not sustainable.

Big first newspaper interview with Liz Kendall in office. 🧵

www.theguardian.com/politics/art...

Chart showing the proportion of the population aged 0-64 in receipt of disability benefits, by single year of age: England and Wales, 2013 and 2023

Teenagers aged 15-16 are now more likely to be receiving disability benefits than adults in their 20s, 30s and 40s…

How should we understand this trend? What does it tell us about the design of the benefits system?

Here’s a short thread based on my new @resfoundation.bsky.social report

A chart showing activity from various countries on Bluesky. The UK, in blue, is experiencing a huge spike.

Oh hello Britain 😳

That blue line is activity in the UK spiking past all of the other countries on Bluesky right now.

Welcome, and invite a friend to join us! bsky.app/download

The uncertain future of the Household Support Fund - Transforming Society The article highlights the uncertain future of the Household Support Fund (HSF), a temporary aid for vulnerable households, with the Labour government needing to decide on its extension and reform bef...

New blog on the uncertain future of the Household Support Fund #HSF - and the political blame games that have surrounded it - from Kit Colliver, Neil Lunt, Jed Meers and myself www.transformingsociety.co.uk/2024/08/15/t...

Latest ONS estimate shows the economy grew by 0.6% in the 3 months to June

This isn't a surprise as the economy begins to uncoil from the COL crisis

But the government will find it hard to meet its growth objective without addressing the fundamentals of household economic security 🧵 (1/4)