PROJECT OVERVIEW

I am developing ways (using qualitative methodological tools) to better understand working-age social security benefits, with a focus on disability and long-term health conditions. The project first developed out of lessons learned and issues highlighted by the coronavirus pandemic, both in terms of social security benefits and qualitative research methods.

 

Motivation:

 

The research is motivated by two major, related, challenges:

 

a) The policy challenges for the working-age social security system that were revealed or exacerbated by the pandemic for claimants living with a long-term health condition or disability, and which are now a focus of reform under the new Labour government.

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b) The methodological challenges for researchers brought about by physical and social distancing, and the wide-ranging socioeconomic aftereffects of the pandemic, with a particular focus on: the challenges of physical remoteness; lack of inclusive practices in existing methods; ongoing and increased time scarcity of some research participants; and the lack of participatory practices in existing methods.

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The broad project phases are as follows.

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Preparatory phase: Alongside a more standard process of literature review and methods preparation, I have carried out an explicitly cross-disciplinary learning exercise. Social policy research has much to learn from other areas and disciplines in terms of methods innovation.  

 

Research strands 1 and 2: These strands are focused on developing improved and new qualitative methods tools to understand the functioning of the social security system from the perspective of disabled people and people living with a long term health condition. Key topics include: how aspects of conditionality are navigated, how income (in)adequacy is achieved, processes of assessment, communication within the system, and claimant control and ‘voice’ within the system.

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Research strand 3: This strand of work sits across strands 1 and 2 and prototypes and implements participatory approaches within which strands 1 and 2 are embedded, drawing on existing models of good practice, and spanning to consider every stage of the research process.