Emily Lynn-Graham

Chart from https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/policy/publications/benefit-cuts-dont-have-widespread-support/ showing that the majority of people do not support planned or expected social security cuts in the UK

📢 Benefit cuts don’t have widespread support

The govt wants to get more disabled people into work, but isn't making full use of the tools at its disposal

In my new report for @citizensadvice.bsky.social I've looked at how our social security system could do more to make sure that when disabled people want to work, work really does pay /1

New @citizensadvice.bsky.social briefing published with @julia-rt.bsky.social‬ on how Universal Credit can adapt to promote income stability for working households. We set out policy options for the UC review to consider to reflect the reality of low paid employment.

The narrative around Universal Credit has long centred around work incentives.

This new briefing examines how effective UC is at encouraging employment – and how that focus may have overshadowed the deeper complexities of getting into work. 🧵

🔗 www.citizensadvice.org.uk/policy/publi...

DWP confirms review of Universal Credit will look at offering extra support Concerns have been raised over the impact of deductions including advance loans for new claimants

Great to see @julia-rt.bsky.social's work getting a bit of recognition here.

The UC review (DWP's 'other' Timms review!) has kinda been forgotten recently but we're still pushing the government to make the changes necessary for UC to succeed

www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/cost-of...

This is a really important piece of work to be read alongside our report on health and work from last week. It takes a local focus, to show how intersecting inequalities are crucial to understanding the barriers to people accessing work that benefits, rather than harms, their health.

Health inequalities and cause/effect re local labour market experiences - brilliant thread by @dremilylynn.bsky.social on our deep dive into Chapeltown in Leeds 👇

Here is a link to our main report, where we explore the relationship between health and work in more detail

👉 www.citizensadvice.org.uk/policy/publi...

📊 Read the report:
It’s part of a wider Citizens Advice research, funded by @healthfoundation.bsky.social, exploring work and health inequalities.

👉 www.citizensadvice.org.uk/policy/publi...

Fair, secure work supports good health - but for too many, it's out of reach.

Our research in Chapeltown shows how poor job conditions and structural inequality compound to worsen health. Local advice services are key to breaking the cycle.
#HealthInequality #WorkAndHealth #Chapeltown #Leeds

However, the report highlights how frontline specialist employment advice services in communities like Chapeltown are key to understanding - and breaking - the link between poor work and poor health.

Our insights from Chapeltown Citizens Advice’s specialist employment adviser shows us how inequality compounds:

📍 Place-based experiences of multiple deprivation
🏥 Higher illness rates
🚫 Fewer good job options
🔁 A cycle that’s hard to break

Poor work isn’t just a job problem. It’s a health issue.

When insecure, inflexible work is all that’s available, it drives chronic stress, worsens mental health, and makes long-term conditions harder to manage.

Most clients?
➡️ In low-paid, insecure work
➡️ Often on zero-hours or agency contracts
➡️ Facing poor working conditions
➡️ More likely to be disabled, in poor health, or from racially minoritised communities

Our local Citizens Advice office in Chapeltown sees this inequality every day.

They run a specialist employment service helping people deal with unlawful wage deductions, bullying, lack of reasonable adjustments and more.

All issues which can negatively affect health outcomes.

Chapeltown is an area to the North East of central Leeds that reflects the wider inequalities of the city.

A city where women in the poorest communities live 9 years less than those in the wealthiest. For men, the gap is 10 years.

That’s the human cost of inequality.

Health inequalities can be shaped by who you are, where you live, what you do for work and how much you earn as you do it.

And in places that experience multiple forms of deprivation like Chapeltown, these factors often stack up against you.

🚨 New report alert 🚨

We’ve launched our first local deep dive research into health inequalities - starting in Chapeltown, Leeds.

What does geography have to do with health & work? Quite a lot, it turns out. 🧵

New paper from Citizens Advice on how to deliver tangible growth - which puts money in people’s pockets - in consumer markets.

TLDR: Consumer confidence is key & slashing hard won consumer protections without adequate safeguards isn’t the answer.

Brilliant in-depth report from Ed and Emily looking at health inequalities and work. Well worth a read!

Our report on economic activity and health inequalities - absolutely packed with insights from @epemberton.bsky.social and @dremilylynn.bsky.social. See Ed's thread below for a summary

1) New report alert 📚! Written by@dremilylynn.bsky.social and myself, it looks at the relationship between health and work. It is the first report from our wider project on health inequalities, funded by @healthfoundation.bsky.social‬. 🔗 www.citizensadvice.org.uk/policy/publi...

We are coming together as organisations committed to fighting poverty, providing advice, and supporting and championing the rights of disabled people, their families, and carers. We are calling for the UK government to withdraw the UC & PIP Bill

Full statement: www.ucpipbill.co.uk/wp-content/u...

Image of the Houses of Parliament

A long thread on why the concessions in and around the UCPIP Bill (ie the disability benefits cuts) are illusory, disingenuous and potentially makes things worse 🧵

There are 5 big myths to bust -fifth is the most difficult to untangle, but the most significant in my view, so please do bear with 🙂

Anita’s story How cuts to disability benefits could impact millions

How will the proposed disability benefit cuts impact disabled people? Today we’re sharing the story of one of the people we’ve helped: Anita*.

The cuts could mean she loses over £8k per year (43% of her income)❗

New blog out now: medium.com/p/1ab8959922a1

In parliament today to brief MPs on the need for them to vote against the disability benefits cuts bill. Interesting to hear from parliamentary staffers that it's constituents contacting them that is having the most impact. Please email your MP now, even if you have already! It's not too late

Why we’re asking MPs to vote against the bill to cut disability benefits Today, the government laid its Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill before parliament. It details plans to cut billions…

Today, the government laid its Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill before parliament. But what's actually in the bill and what happens next?

New blog out now: wearecitizensadvice.org.uk/why-were-ask...

Really handy explainer from Victoria on the new UC and PIP bill going through parliament and why we’re calling on MPs to vote against it 👇

Its time for change in Jobcentres, but how do we do it? My new paper proposes a vision for Jobcentre reform. The central idea is to introduce case workers, who would be service users’ main point of contact and offer ongoing pastoral and practical support 🧵
www.citizensadvice.org.uk/policy/publi...

The Pathways to Work Green Paper sets out plans to cut billions from health and disability benefits.

Instead of getting people into work, these cuts will push hundreds of thousands into poverty.

Our new report looks at the impact of cuts to PIP, UC health & scrapping the WCA (🧵)