The Library

Work as a route out of poverty : a critical evaluation of the UK welfare to work policy

Tools

Newman, Ines (2010) Work as a route out of poverty : a critical evaluation of the UK welfare to work policy. Policy Studies, Vol.32 (No.2). pp. 91-108. ISSN 0144-2872

PDF (Review in 12 months for publication date)
WRAP_Newman_Ines_Newman_Work_as_a_route_out_of_poverty_Sept_2010.pdf
Restricted to Repository staff only - Requires a PDF viewer such as GSview, Xpdf or Adobe Acrobat Reader
Download (358Kb)

Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/01442872.2010.533510

Abstract

At a time when more workless people in the UK are being mandated into highly conditional welfare to work programmes, this article engages with critiques of neoliberalism to argue that such policies cannot be shown to have a major impact on outcomes but are pursued for political reasons. Through a systematic review of the assumptions underpinning current welfare to work programmes in the UK, it is suggested that policy has increasingly been driven by a desire to embed a new consensus in which it is accepted that life should be shaped by work and that the unemployed have responsibility for tackling their own unemployment. This consensus marginalises the voice of the workless and wider criticisms of neo-liberalism and reduces the scope for oppositional political organisation. The analysis indicates three areas where contestation and broader study will be important in the future to protect the well being of the unemployed. They are: welfare reform and the attempt to shape the whole welfare system to embed a work ethic; the demand side of the labour market including requirements on employers; and the empowerment of the unemployed.

Item Type:	Submitted Journal Article
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor
Divisions:	Faculty of Social Sciences > Warwick Business School > Local Government Centre Faculty of Social Sciences > Warwick Business School
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):	Unemployed -- Great Britain, Welfare recipients -- Employment -- Great Britain, Public welfare -- Great Britain, Neoliberalism
Journal or Publication Title:	Policy Studies
Publisher:	Routledge
ISSN:	0144-2872
Date:	October 2010
Volume:	Vol.32
Number:	No.2
Number of Pages:	18
Page Range:	pp. 91-108
Identification Number:	10.1080/01442872.2010.533510
Status:	Peer Reviewed
Publication Status:	Published
Access rights to Published version:	Open Access
Related URLs:	Publisher
References:	Beale, I., Bloss, C. and Thomas, A., 2008. The longer-term impact of the New Deal for Young People. Department for Work and Pensions, Working Paper No 23.Norwich: Her Majesty‟s Stationery Office. Brenner, N. and Theodore, N., eds. 2002. Spaces of Neoliberalism: Urban Restructuring in North America and Western Europe. Oxford: Blackwell Cabinet Office, 2010. Building the Big Society [online]. Cabinet Office. Available from: http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/media/407789/building-big-society.pdf [Accessed on 1 October 2010] Cameron, D. and Jones, D., 2008. Cameron on Cameron: Conversations with Dylan Jones. London: Fourth Estate. Casebourne, J., Davies, S. and Page, R., 2006. Review of Action Teams. Institute of Employment Studies, Department of Work and Pensions, Research Report 328. Leeds: Corporate Research Department. Centre for Social Justice Economic Dependency Working Group, 2009. Dynamic Benefits: Towards welfare that works. London: Centre for Social Justice. Conservative Party, 2009. Work for Welfare. Real welfare reform to help make British poverty history. Policy Green Paper No 3. London: Conservative Party. Convery, P., 2009. Welfare to Work - From Special Measures to 80 Per Cent Employment. Local Economy, 24 (1), 1-27. Crisp, R., Batty, E., Cole, I. and Robinson, D., 2009. Work and worklessness in deprived neighbourhoods. Policy assumptions and personal experiences. York: JRF. Davies, S., 2008. Contracting out Employment Services to the Third and Private Sectors: a Critique. Critical Social Policy, 28 (2), 136-164 Department for Business Innovation and Skills, 2009. Skills for Growth . London: TSO DWP, 2008. Raising Expectations and Increasing Support: Reforming Welfare for the Future. London: TSO. DWP, 2010. The Work Programme Framework. Available on: http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/work-programme-prospectus.pdf [Accessed 1 October 2010] DWP, 2010b Work Programme Framework: Supplementary Delivery Partner Information. Available on: http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/framework-supplimentary-info.pdf [Accessed 1 October 2010] DWP, 2010c. 21st Century Welfare. Available on: http://www.dwp.gov.uk/consultations/2010/21st-century-welfare/ [Accessed 1 October 2010] Dwyer, P. and Ellison, N., 2009. Work and Welfare: The rights and responsibilities of unemployment in the UK. In M. Giugni, ed. The Politics of Unemployment in Europe: Policy Responses and Collective Action. Farnham, Surrey: Ashgate, pp. 53-66. Finn, D., 2008. Lessons from contracting out welfare to work programmes in Australia and the Netherlands. York: JRF. Finn, D., 2009. The „Welfare Market‟ and the Flexible New Deal: Lessons from other countries. Local Economy 24 (1), 38-45. Finn, D., Mason,D., Rahim, N. and Casebourne, J., 2008. Delivering benefits, tax credits and employment services; Problems for disadvantaged users and potential solutions . York: JRF. Fuller, C. and Geddes, M., 2008. Urban Governance Under Neoliberalism: New Labour and the Restructuring of State-Space. Antipode, 40(2), 252-282. Furåker, B., 2009. Unemployment and social protection. In M. Giugni, ed. The Politics of Unemployment in Europe: Policy Responses and Collective Action. Farnham, Surrey: Ashgate, 17-34. Gilpin, N., Henty, M., Lemos, S., Portes, J. and Bullen, C., 2006. The impact of free movement of workers from Central and Eastern Europe on the UK labour market, DWP Working Paper 29 Available from: http://campaigns.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd5/WP29.pdf. (Accessed 1 October 2010) Giugni, M., 2009. The Politics of Unemployment in Europe: Policy Responses and Collective Action. Farnham, Surrey: Ashgate. Gordon, I. and Turok, I., 2005. How Urban Labour Markets Matter. In I. Buck, I. Gordon, A. Harding, and I. Turok, eds. Changing Cities. London: Palgrave, 242-264. Goulden, C., 2010. Cycles of poverty, unemployment and low pay. Round up: Reviewing the evidence. York: JRF Green, A. E. and Husluck, C., 2009. Action to reduce worklessness. Local Economy, 24 (1), 28-37. Green, A. E., Adam D. and Hasluck, C., 2010. Evaluation of Phase 1 City Strategy, DWP Research Report 639. Available from: http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd5/report_abstracts/rr_abstracts/rra_639.asp (Accessed on 1 Oct 2010 ) Gregg, P., 2009. Realising Potential: A Vision for Personalised Conditionality and Support . An Independent report to DWP. Available from: http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/realisingpotential.pdf [Accessed on 1 October 2010]. Harvey, D. 2005. A Short History of Neoliberalism. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Hasluck, C. and Green A.E., 2007. What works for whom? A review of evidence and meta-analysis for the Department of Work and Pensions. Department for Work and Pensions Research Report 407. Leeds: Corporate Document Services. Hirsch, D., 2008. What is needed to end child poverty in 2020? Round-up: Reviewing the evidence. York: JRF. Hirst, A., Tarling, R., Lefaucheux, M., Short,C., Rinne, S., McGregor,A., Glass, A., Evans, M. and Simm, C., 2006. Evaluation of multiple provider employment zones. DWP Research Report 310: DWP. Leeds: Corporate Document Services. Houghton, S., 2009. Tackling Worklessness: A Review of the Contribution and Role of English Local Authorities and Partnership: Final Report. London: DWP. Kemp, P., Bradshaw, J., Dornan, P., Finch, N. and Mayhew, E., 2004. Routes out of poverty: A review of existing research evidence on what can help people out of poverty. DWP Research Report No. 469, Leeds: Corporate Document Services. Jones, A., 2010. Local Work: Empowering Local Government to Tackle Worklessness. LGiU Available from: https://member.lgiu.org.uk/whatwedo/Publications/Documents/Local%20Work.pdf [Accessed 1 Oct 2010]. Kenway, P., 2009. Should adult benefit for unemployment now be raised? York: JRF. Kenway. P. and Palmer, G., 2005. Making it fair: Council tax benefit and working households. LGIU. Available from: https://member.lgiu.org.uk/whatwedo/Publications/Documents/Making%20It%20Fair%20council%20tax%20benefit%20and%20working%20households.pdf [Accessed 1 October 2010]. Leitner, H., Peck, J. and Sheppard, E., 2006. Contesting Neoliberalism: Urban Frontiers. New York: Guildford Press Lewis, J., Corden, A., Dillon, L., Hill, K., Kellard, K., Sainsbury, R. and Thornton, P., 2005. New Deal for Disabled People: An in-depth study of Job Broker service delivery. DWP Research Report 246. Leeds: Corporate Document Services. LGA, 2009. The impact of the recession on migrant labour. Local Government Association. Available from: http://www.lga.gov.uk/lga/core/page.do?pageId=1493681 [Accessed 1 October 2010]. MacInnes, T., Kenway, P. and Parekh, A., 2009. Monitoring poverty and social exclusion 2009. York: JRF. Maeder, C. and Nadai, E., 2009. The promises of Labour. The practices of activating unemployment policies in Switzerland. In M. Giugni, ed. The Politics of Unemployment in Europe: Policy Responses and Collective Action. Farnham, Surrey: Ashgate, 67-81. National Audit Office, 2010. Support to incapacity benefits claimants through Pathways to Work, DWP. Available from: http://www.nao.org.uk/publications/1011/pathways_to_work.aspx [Accessed 1 October 2010]. Newman, I. (ed) (2010). The Future of Local Economic Development. Abingdon: Routledge. Nunn, J. and Johnson, S., 2008. Labouring and Learning towards Competitiveness; The Future of Local Labour Markets after Harker, Leitch and Freud. Local Economy , 23(2). 122-137. Office of National Statistics, 2010. Migration Statistics Quarterly Report: August 2010. ONS [online]. Available from: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/pdfdir/mig0810.pdf [Accessed 1 October 2010] Palmer, G., MacInnes, T. and Kenway, P., 2008. Monitoring poverty and social exclusion 2008. York: JRF. Parsons, W., 2002. From Muddling Through to Muddling Up. Evidenced Based Policy-Making and the Modernisation of the British Government [online]. Political Studies Association Conference. Available from: http://www.psa.ac.uk/journals/pdf/5/2002/parsons.pdf ). [Accessed 1 October 2010] Peters, M. and Joyce, L., 2006. A review of the JSA sanctions regime: Summary research findings. DWP Research Report No 313. Leeds: Corporate Document Services. Richards, A., 2009. Trade Unions and the Unemployed in the Interwar Period and the 1980s in Britain. In M. Giugni, Ed. The Politics of Unemployment in Europe: Policy Responses and Collective Action. Farnham, Surrey: Ashgate, 83-99. Riley, R.and Young, G., 2001. The New Deal for Young People: Implications for Employment and the Public Finances. National Institute for Social and Economic Research. ESR 62 . Sheffield: Employment Services Research and Development Report. Ritchie, H., Casebourne, J. and Rick, J., 2005. Understanding workless people and communities: A literature review. Department for Work and Pensions Research Research Report 255. Leeds: Corporate Document Services. Royall, F., 2009. Political Challengers, Service Providers or Service Recipients? Participation in Irish Pro-unemployment organisations. In M. Giugni, ed. The Politics of Unemployment in Europe: Policy Responses and Collective Action. Farnham, Surrey: Ashgate, 117-132 . Sissons, P., 2009. Welfare reform and recession: past labour market responses to job losses and the potential impact of Employment Support Allowance . People, Place & Policy [Online ], 3 (3), 171-182. Available from: http://extra.shu.ac.uk/ppp-online/issue_3_161109/article_4.html [Accessed 1 October 2010]. Social Exclusion Unit, 2004. Jobs and Enterprise in Deprived Areas. London: ODPM. Statistics Commission, 2007. Foreign Workers in the UK , briefing note . Statistics Comission. Available from: http://www.statscom.org.uk/C_1237.aspx [accessed I October 2010]. Strelitz, J., 2008. Eradicating child poverty: the role of key policy areas. Ending severe child poverty. York: JRF. Timmins, N., 2010. Hugh cuts put back-to-work drive in peril. Financial Times, 16 September, 2010. Available from http://www.ft.com/ Webster, D., 2006. Welfare reform: Facing up to the geography of worklessness. Local Economy, 21( 2), 107-116. Wintour, P., 2010. George Osborne to cut £4bn more from benefits. Guardian, 9 September, 2010. Available from http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/sep/09/george-osborne-cut-4bn-benefits-welfare [Accessed 1 October 2010].
URI:	http://wrap.warwick.ac.uk/id/eprint/3429