Dr Sioned Pearce

The scrapping of the two-child limit is a much-needed change to turn the tide on child poverty.

It is also the most cost-effective way of lifting children out of poverty.

Good riddance to the two-child limit! Reflections on Autumn Budget 2025

Some reflections from me on today's Autumn Budget statement open.substack.com/pub/rodhick/...

Looking forward to speaking here on Wednesday:
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/spa-worksh...

Inside the 10-year battle to change the law and help renters feel secure in their homes

The Renters' Rights Bill is set to receive royal assent and become law. Generation Rent's Dan Wilson Craw explains how it happened.

Today, we attended a roundtable at the HoL hosted by Baroness Ruth Lister on the subject of the Child Poverty Strategy. CR participants, inc. Jo & Brian, delivered powerful testimonies, using the space to push for an ambitious Strategy that genuinely confronts the root causes of child poverty. ✊

Research Handbook on Social Policy and Employment ‘This Handbook has an extraordinarily comprehensive historical and global range, placing current developments in a strong perspective of historical development and including countries in the global so...

Now available: www.e-elgar.com/shop/gbp/res... co-edited by policy group member Elke Heins, with contributions from policy group members: @haylesben.bsky.social, @chrisgrover.bsky.social @heejungchung.bsky.social @katyjones.bsky.social

Wrote this on yesterday’s inflation figures and why universal credit should be based on the amount we actually need to get by ⬇️

'To make the world of work truly inclusive, we need to understand what enables people to stay in work and thrive in different contexts.' Jes Phillips, Programme and Policy Officer for the Commission for Healthier Working Lives at the Health Foundation

With Charlie Mayfield’s Get Britain Working Review imminent, all eyes are on the UK's working-age health challenge. 

In this blog, Jes Phillips explores how policy can be improved through understanding real life experiences of work and health ⬇️
https://bit.ly/4oCgwFf

The growth gamble: Do we need to loosen the tie binding devolution with economic outcomes in England? - RSA Main Earlier in 2025, the UK government announced a commitment to reduce spending on disability benefits by restructuring entitlements and eligibility to various health-related benefits. It claims through ...

Read the latest Safety Nets Blog here: www.regionalstudies.org/rsa-blog/202... @haylesben.bsky.social @ruthpatrick0.bsky.social

The growth gamble: Do we need to loosen the tie binding devolution with economic outcomes in England? - RSA Main Earlier in 2025, the UK government announced a commitment to reduce spending on disability benefits by restructuring entitlements and eligibility to various health-related benefits. It claims through ...

While the Safety Nets team continue to unpick the importance of devolution for social security and the lives of people across the UK, our latest blog discusses devolved processes as more than economic strategies and the potential risk of tying devolution to economic growth:

I couldn't afford to fix my broken bed. People in poverty like me need help with the essentials

Gloria Odhi, a participant of Changing Realities, shared her story with the Scottish first minister with the hope of inspiring change.

The impact sanctions have on welfare benefit recipients Citizens Advice Caerphilly Blaenau Gwent’s (CACBG) Research and Campaigns team have published a report which looks at the impact sanctions to welfare benefits have on people and families.

Citizens Advice Caerphilly Blaenau Gwent’s (CACBG) Research and Campaigns team have published a report which looks at the impact sanctions to welfare benefits have on people and families.

Find out more here citizensadvicecbg.org.uk/news/report-....

The impact sanctions have on welfare benefit recipients Citizens Advice Caerphilly Blaenau Gwent’s (CACBG) Research and Campaigns team have published a report which looks at the impact sanctions to welfare benefits have on people and families.

Have you read our report on the impact sanctions have on welfare benefit recipients?

Our Research and Campaigns team have published a report which looks at the direct impact sanctions to welfare benefits have on people and families.

You can read both reports here ow.ly/vu0C50V2BAy

Are out-of-work benefit claims at a record high? The official statistics are wildly misleading - I've now made some new estimates that show just how wrong they are

Are out-of-work benefit claims at a record high? My new post open.substack.com/pub/inequali... , and also my take on More or Less this morning at www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

Beautiful video Emily of your absolutely gorgeous and cherished girl. So much love to you and your family x

Ffotograff o berson yn dal llaw plentyn yn erbyn gwersyll ymfudwyr, gyda logo WISERD dros y top a hefyd y testun canlynol: Gallai datganoli a chymdeithas sifil helpu i greu gwrth-naratif ar gyfer ceiswyr noddfa – Post blog WISERD newydd gan Sioned Pearce a Nivedita Narayan, Prifysgol Caerdydd

Gall #datganoli a #chymdeithassifil helpu i greu gwrth-naratif ar gyfer #ceiswyr lloches – Blogbost newydd WISERD gan @sionedps.bsky.social a Nivedita Narayan @prifysgolcdydd.bsky.social ➡️ bit.ly/3K2hxrd

Photograph of person holding hand of child against migrant camp, with WISERD logo over the top and also the following text: Devolution and civil society could help to create a counter-narrative for sanctuary seekers – A new WISERD blog post by Sioned Pearce and Nivedita Narayan, Cardiff University

#Devolution and #civilsociety could help to create a counter-narrative for #sanctuaryseekers – A new WISERD blog post by @sionedps.bsky.social and Nivedita Narayan @cardiffuni.bsky.social ➡️ bit.ly/3VXvpW8

This is really welcome and there are possible lessons to learn here from Social Security Scotland based on early Safety Nets findings @ruthpatrick0.bsky.social @haylesben.bsky.social

The committee recommends extending the period people are given to look for work from four weeks to three months.. to take a trauma informed and person centred approach amongst other things….

Pink and purple circular sticker saying “we’re at breaking point. UCU”

This week is a 5 day strike at University of Edinburgh in response to management decisions and practices around £120m cuts & UCU’s concerns around workloads, teaching, and research quality.

Wow!

She is so beautiful Emily thinking of you x

The Government’s immigration policies are increasing child poverty - British Politics and Policy at LSE The government has committed to tackling poverty among all children, including those subject to the UK’s asylum and immigration system. But recent reforms and proposals to immigration policy mean that...

New blog from @ilonapin.bsky.social shares how government proposals and reforms to immigration policy mean we’re likely to see a growth, in poverty for children in immigrant families

blogs.lse.ac.uk/politicsandp...

📰What are the 𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗲𝘀 in federalism, regionalism and territorial governance?
📌Don’t miss our editorial note 👉https://doi.org/10.1080/13597566.2025.2518752
@davidevampa.bsky.social @filippoboni.bsky.social @assefafy.bsky.social @merylkenny.bsky.social @marielylopezs.bsky.social & M.Zulianello

Thank you so much @haylesben.bsky.social :)

RSE awards over £724K to boost Scotland’s vibrant research sector We are pleased to announce that 72 exceptional research projects were selected at the spring 2025 Research Awards open call.

Back from annual leave to great news: our project on the rise of Reform UK in Scotland - co-led with A. Convery (and in collaboration with F. McMillan) has been awarded RSE funding. Starting Oct 2025, it explores Reform's breakthrough in Scotland in comparative perspective
rse.org.uk/rse-awards-o...

In this blog we outline how UK government changes to Jobcentre Plus might play out in Scotland where skills, careers, health, are devolved responsibilities. We also ask whether it's an opportunity for a more radical rethinking of what a job centre is for.

New blog from group members @sionedps.bsky.social and @haylesben.bsky.social asking some questions about the potential future of Jobcentre Plus in Scotland

New job alert 📢

We're hiring a Senior Policy Advisor for our Scotland office.

If you believe as passionately as we do that we can deliver a fairer Scotland free from poverty then this job could be for you. 🔽 1/3

Blog: The future of Jobcentre Plus in Scotland: Multi-level messiness or a window of opportunity? - Social Policy Association Dr Hayley Bennett (University of Edinburgh) and Dr Sioned Pearce (University of Cardiff) The UK Government’s labour market policy reforms have attracted attention and controversy [...]

📣 New blog: 'The future of Jobcentre Plus in Scotland: Multi-level messiness or a window of opportunity?'

By Dr Hayley Bennett (@haylesben.bsky.social) and Dr Sioned Pearce (@sionedps.bsky.social).

Read on the SPA website here ➡️ social-policy.org.uk/news/blog-th...