Devolved approaches to social security in the UK – lessons for Greater Manchester

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In summer 2020, as part of GMPA’s work on social security, working in partnership with the Sustainable Housing and Urban Studies Unit (SHUSU) at the University of Salford, we invited leading social security policy experts to consider what Greater Manchester could learn from approaches to welfare policy in the devolved nations.

The essays identify a number of lessons for Greater Manchester from the experience of devolved nations, in particular the benefits of a person-centred approach to welfare policy that ensures people with experience of using the social security are involved in service design.

What also comes through strongly is that regardless of the levels of power over the social security system that exist, what can be done locally to support people accessing the welfare system depends on the interaction of available powers, available budget and political will.

You can download and read the essays below:

Reflections on Northern Ireland’s mirror image approach to devolved social security – Mark Simpson, School of Law, Ulster University

Social Security in Scotland – Sharon Wright

Taking an assets-based approach to Jobcentre Plus support: Lessons from Wales – Lisa Scullion, Professor of Social Policy, University of Salford and Katy Jones, Senior Research Associate, Manchester Metropolitan University

A fourth essay looks at what COVID-19 means for local welfare provision. Whilst recognising the incredible local cross-sector working that has happened during the pandemic, this essay warns of the risks presented by local welfare support operating in a context of diminishing resources.

What can local responses to COVID-19 tell us about the potential and challenges for devolved ‘welfare’? – Daniel Edmiston, University of Leeds,  David Robertshaw and Andrea Gibbons

You can read further discussion here

Thank you to the authors of the essays for their contributions. With particular thanks to Professor Lisa Scullion of SHUSU at the University of Salford for her work in bringing the series of essays together.