Welfare conditionality and benefit sanctions: a system ‘of conscious cruelty’?

In 1966, Ken Loach's seminal film Cathy Come Home brought the problem of homelessness to the public consciousness, dislodging stereotyped assumptions about homeless people.  In 2016 he did the same for benefit claimants, another vilified group, with his film  I Daniel Blake.   In 2012 the Coalition Government introduced the harshest regime of benefit sanctions … Continue reading Welfare conditionality and benefit sanctions: a system ‘of conscious cruelty’?

Social Prescribing: shiny new policy thing or something more important?

By Chris Dayson, Principal Research Fellow at Sheffield Hallam University Social prescribing is a current UK policy phenomenon. If your local area hasn't 'got it' already you can bet someone will be doing their level best to get it up and running sooner rather than later. But what is it and what does mean for … Continue reading Social Prescribing: shiny new policy thing or something more important?