Understanding social security: Issues for policy and practice

The political and economic landscape of UK social security provision has changed significantly since the 2008 financial crisis. This fully revised, restructured and updated 3rd edition of a go-to text book covers all the key policy changes and their implications since the elections of 2010 and 2015.

With contributions from leading academics in the field this book critically examines the design, entitlement, delivery and impact of current welfare provision. The first half of the book examines social security across the lifecycle from Child Benefit to retirement pensions. The second half focuses on key issues in policy and practice including new topics such as the realities of life on benefits in an era of austerity, and the pros and cons of Universal Basic Income.

• Framework supports teachers and students, encouraging analytical thinking of issues and providing pointers to related sources

• Authoritative and evidence-based arguments

• Clear section and chapter summaries, overviews, questions for discussion, website resources and a bibliography

• Includes tables, charts and text boxes for clarity, interest and appeal

This book is suitable for undergraduate and postgraduate students of Social Policy taking modules on Social Security Policy, Poverty and Inequality, Income Support and Welfare Reform, as well as Social Work students and those on other Social Science degree programmes.

Ruth Patrick is Professor of Social Policy at the University of York.

Professor of Social Policy, University of York

Dr Zoe Irving is a Senior Lecturer at the University of York and a member of the Executive Committee of the UK Social Policy Association. Published works surrounding Social Policy, gender employment and economic crises.

Lecturer in International Social Policy at the University of York.

Nicola Yeates is Professor of Social Policy in the Department of Social Policy and Criminology at The Open University.