Browse our analysis of financing welfare policy

New COVID-19 analysis finds low sick pay may undermine Test and Trace

New research by Policy in Practice shows that low sick pay may undermine Test and Trace as people on low incomes could lose £100’s of pounds if they are asked to self isolate. Some households who are asked to self isolate will struggle to bear the immediate financial costs of relying on Statutory Sick Pay. If their loss of earnings is too great, they may feel they need to return to work, and thereby risk spreading COVID-19.

June 2020

Evidence into how well DWP has responded to the Coronavirus pandemic

Policy in Practice responded to a survey by the Work and Pensions Committee about how DWP responded to the Coronavirus pandemic. In our submission we shared highlights from our work supporting thousands of claimants from late March to early April 2020. In addition to our evidence, we make three main recommendations to make the benefit system more supportive to claimants, and better able to support the country through this pandemic. We call for the savings limit in Universal Credit to be suspended for the next twelve months, the two-child benefit limit and the benefit cap to be suspended (or at least increased to £2,500 per month) for the duration of the pandemic and the increased generosity of the welfare system to be maintained after April 2021.

April 2020

The impact of COVID-19 welfare support measures on household income report

Policy in Practice has analysed the impact of the new measures announced by the government to show how they will help households hit by Coronavirus (COVID-19). As a result of the changes to Universal Credit, the number of households in receipt of Universal Credit whose bills are higher than their monthly income will fall from 16% of households to 10%. The average increase in Universal Credit awards as a result of changes coming into effect from April 2020 will be £98/month, an increase of 7.3%.

The impacts of the three main changes announced up to Friday 20 March 2020 are examined.

March 2020

Autumn Budget 2018 analysis

Policy in Practice analysed the impact of the budget changes. Our analysis found that almost 250,000 low-income households would move from being worse off under Universal Credit, compared to legacy benefits, to being better off as a result. We also found that Universal Credit does not appear to have a statistically significant impact on employment rates. That said, there is more evidence that any significant impact is more likely to be positive rather than negative.

November 2018

Impacts of the Benefit Cap

Giovanni Tonnutti of Policy in Practice presented to the Work and Pensions Committee on the impacts of the Benefit Cap. We also released a press statement that half of households are failing to escape the Benefit Cap.  Our Low-Income Londoners study found that for every claimant who managed to move off the cap, there is more than one household who is stuck under the cap for six months or longer. Read our news release here. 

October 2018

Autumn Budget 2017: Briefing option papers on Universal Credit

The briefing papers were created with feedback from practioners and analysis by Policy in Practice. The options in the papers were discussed with DWP and offer a range of suggestions that would ease the transition for the seven million households who will be receiving Universal Credit in the coming years.

November 2017

Options to reduce the 6 week wait

Further options to improve Universal Credit