Making the benefits system meaner has backfired. The punitive PIP system is leaving disabled people too afraid to try work. It’s time to overhaul the broken assessment process. Read our new report here: https://z2k.org/pip-report/

Mental health problems are real. But they’re rarely people’s only barrier to work. People with experience of mental distress describe a wide range of social, economic, relational and structural barriers to work – in addition to the challenges posed by symptoms. It’s more than a mental health issue 🧵

Crucial message from Citizen's Advice: "When both working full-time and claiming maximum benefit entitlement leaves one in a low-income limbo, focusing on making the former slightly more financially beneficial than the latter is only ever going to have a limited impact on outcomes..." (1/2)

Very thought-provoking article on the sometimes uneasy (and perhaps not uneasy enough) relationship between social science and lived experience @drcrmatthews.bsky.social you might enjoy link.springer.com/article/10.1...

This was an excellent piece of exploration and analysis seeking a better understanding of how to engage residents in the LCWRA group in an initial conversation about work. Sign up to hear the key lessons learned! www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/camden-emp... @spaemploysocsec.bsky.social

Job opportunities on both the amazing @changingrealities.bsky.social and @safety-nets.bsky.social projects!

It's a busy time on @d-liveability.bsky.social! We are hiring a 12 month #postdoc Research Fellow to contribute to #qualitative analysis of suicide prevention policies + parliamentary debates: elxw.fa.em3.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/Candid...

Two Policy Assistant roles available for people just starting out in this sector. Could be a great opportunity for those just about to graduate from @uoysbs.bsky.social

Are you a post-doctoral researcher with strong qualitative skills, a critical mind and a love for digging into the complexities of how people navigate work and health? Check out our vacancy at the Uni of York School for Business and Society: jobs.york.ac.uk/vacancy/rese... @uoysbs.bsky.social

I've been thinking for a while that we should be talking more about the "social determinants of work". David Kingsley has got there first; great piece naming "the social determinants of employability" - housing insecurity, digital exclusion, mental health, access to care www.myiep.uk/blogs-and-op...

For all the recent focus on incentives in the benefits system, it's a lack of suitable & supportive jobs that prevents many disabled people moving into work This online @neweconomics.bsky.social event (June 19th 10am) will explore the changes needed to fix this www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/its-not-me...

Want a 3yr quali postdoc job leading the UK fieldwork for an amazing international project on how it feels to claim benefits? And also to do important work on benefits and mental health? Then see this job ad! Closing date being changed to 8th June www.kcl.ac.uk/jobs/114985-...

This looks like a super-cool postdoc for people interested in #qualitative #mentalhealth research and the interactions between #mh and #welfare www.kcl.ac.uk/jobs/114985-...

NEW ANALYSIS: A rise in financial hardship is a key driver of the increase in benefit claims. These new figures cast serious doubts on the government’s justification for cutting disability and incapacity payments. 1/10

Great opportunity for a postdoctoral researcher with interests in work, welfare and mental health to work with the excellent @benbgeiger.bsky.social at the Centre for Society & Mental Heakth www.kcl.ac.uk/jobs/113328-...

PLEASE SHARE! We are looking for info about providing effective support to young mothers and birthing parents (aged 25 and under) in the perinatal period. We are looking for papers/reports/evaluations/blogs/commentaries. Send to: [email protected]. Information: perinatalsupport.co.uk

@lucyfoulkes.bsky.social Murdoch, L. (2025). The adverse impacts of all-institutional mental health and wellbeing policies on university careers guidance. British Journal of Guidance & Counselling, 1–16. doi.org/10.1080/0306...

“You can’t order people’s recovery from the top down, you can’t batter them with sanctions towards work.” Well said Andy Burnham: inews.co.uk/news/politic...

Some thoughts on mental health, capacity for work, and the end of the WCA - based on in-depth qualitative research involving claimants with lived experience of mental health problems…

Spread the word! Exciting new fully funded PhD opportunity to research disabled people's lived experiences of benefit reform and the costs of disability. Deadline: 10 April @uofglasgow.bsky.social @uofgussp.bsky.social @uofgsps.bsky.social @sgsss.bsky.social @clemmiehilloconnor.bsky.social

Really wise reflections from @catherinehale.bsky.social plus don’t miss the link to her excellent new research!

I'd really encourage you to read this short article if you are remotely interested in the rise of mental-health related work inactivity - very thoughtful from @annieirvine.bsky.social www.health.org.uk/features-and... (cont)

Please read this important thread from @pollardtom.bsky.social if you would like to understand the complexities behind some misleading statements

New DWP evaluation shows European Social Fund cut time on inactive benefits & increased time in work. £1.50 return for each £1 spent. Shows voluntary employment progs work. UKSPF (ESF replacement) smaller & due to end. But DWP White Paper suggests focus on this approach www.gov.uk/government/p...

As the government launches its review to “explore how to urgently support people with long-term illnesses or disabilities back into work” they need to remember that people’s lives are more than their health issues. Health really matters, but its not the whole story www.health.org.uk/features-and...

The Health Foundation has published new analysis on mental health trends among working age people and invited me to share some thoughts. Taking a more holistic approach to understanding capacity for work seems to be at the heart of it: www.health.org.uk/features-and...

This looks like an incredibly valuable piece of research - relationships are crucial to effective employment support