Dr Daniel Edmiston co-authors report which concludes the benefits system needs to be made simpler and fairer
The University of Leeds has collaborated with several universities to investigate social security and employment support during the COVID-19 crisis and its aftermath.
Welfare at a (Social) Distance is a national research project funded by the Economic and Social Research Council as part of UK Research and Innovation’s rapid response to COVID-19.
The project has published a report which details the difficulties faced by claimants and calls for changes to the benefits system, including simplifying the application process and making the system fairer.
Report co-author Dr Daniel Edmiston, Lecturer in Sociology and Social Policy, explains: “Our social security system is a public service. It is supposed to be there for all of us. The findings of this report demonstrate the inadequacy of current benefit levels and weaknesses in our social safety net. The financial resilience of claimants remains fragile and finite”.
