This report mainly emphasises uprating and conditionality. But no less important, there's now no safety net: delay, debt recovery, deductions and lengthy sanctions have destroyed any idea of a minimum. This has played a major role in creating destitution.

Under strain resolutionfoundation.org/publications/u… A helpful report, but DLA or PIP were never extra costs benefits and they don't depend on work. They were built on two elements (mobility and care) expressly chosen to cover long-term disadvantage in income. That's why they're 'sticky'.

1 million children experiencing destitution each year is not something we should accept in Britain in 2024. Thank you to the over 200 organisations joining Joseph Rowntree Foundation and @TrussellTrust today calling on the next Government to develop an urgent plan to address hardship.

This is what our election should be addressing - and isn't.

This site lets you read the first two chapters for free - the point of the welfare state, and the chapter on social security. Reading the whole book is even more depressing ... but worth it!

This may look like an easy win for the new government, but it's ill-advised. Bear this in mind: with every tweak, adjustment, condition and exclusion, the system becomes that little bit more complicated, more vulnerable to error and unfairness, and more difficult to manage.

Labour first suggested dumping the Winter Fuel Payment in 2013, and they're back to that again. My comment from 2013: it's a mechanism to get money to people simply and directly. Governments should think twice before they throw away their best tools. blog.spicker.uk/the-winter-fue…

Pensions aren't income-related.  All pensions go to richer pensioners as well as poorer ones.  The cut in Winter Fuel Payment is nothing more, and nothing less, than a cut in pensions. wp.me/p6x0MC-257

Best defence of Winter Fuel Payment.

The 2 final candidates for the Conservative leadership must pay £150,000 to participate. This will prove they can attract donors - and that's just what wrong with it. The winning candidate will be beholden to donors - as intended. theguardian.com/politics/artic…

The OBR's new report obr.uk/frs/fiscal-ris… offers projections over 50 years, implying disastrous public finances. 50 years? This is what led the Times in 1894 to write that "in 50 years, every street in London will be buried under nine feet of manure.” blog.spicker.uk/hold-the-horse…

Hardly new, people. Richard Titmuss wrote about this 60 years ago and I've been on it for 20.

It doesn't seem to matter how many warnings are posted, some kids playing in the cemetery will try to bring dead ideas back to life. Zero-based budgeting implicitly favours 'core' (in-house) spending over 'peripheral'. Voluntary organisations beware.

After 25 years and more than eight million views, I am closing down my educational website, 'An Introduction to Social Policy'. A legacy copy, and my blog, will still be available at observant-paulspicker.wordpress.com Other posts will be at Paul Spicker.bsky.social

My new book has shipped: bristoluniversitypress.co.uk/trade/what-is-… . "A brilliant critical contribution and powerful overview about how we got here and what is at stake" (Camilo Perez-Bustillo) "Concise and superbly written" (Daniel Béland)

New in the ‘What Is It For?’ series, ‘What Is the Welfare State For?’ discusses the institutions and methods that characterise #WelfareStates around the world. Paul Spicker ow.ly/zC2q50W4VN9

Listen to George Miller and Paul Spicker talk about some of the historical roots, moral foundations, and practical workings of different #Welfare systems. #WelfareState transformingsociety.co.uk/2025/07/01/pod…

"Countries that have cut back on certain types of #Benefits have nevertheless found themselves constrained to leave some forms of income support in place...It’s not an inevitable truth, but it’s something that can be charted and seen." Paul Spicker George Miller transformingsociety.co.uk/2025/07/01/pod…