Researching the Non-Take up of Social Rights: A Social Work Perspective

Abstract

In the face of growing social, economic, political and demographic challenges, many European welfare states have been confronted with barriers in realising the social rights of certain groups of citizens. This phenomenon has often been referred to as ‘the non-take up of social rights’. Considering the core mandate and key principles of social work as a practice-based profession and academic discipline, we argue that social work should have a key role in knowledge and practice development on understanding and combating the non-take up of social rights. Our integrative contextual literature review, nonetheless, demonstrates that there is a tangible scarcity of theoretically and empirically grounded social work research that generates fruitful and in-depth insights into the socially unjust situations and complex dynamics behind these processes of non-take up. This article therefore aims to identify and discuss the key knowledge gaps in the existing body of research on non-take up. As a result, we address critical foci for a future empirical social work research agenda to munition social work practice development that strongly accentuates the substantial realisation of social rights and accordingly contributes to social justice.

Including the Most Excluded? A Qualitative Study on the Address Registration for People Experiencing Homelessness in Belgium

“…Consequently, “ If denizens are not entitled to social rights that can be derived from the formal membership of a certain nation state, can it still be regarded as non-take-up? ” (Dewanckel et al, 2022, p. 9). The authors then plead for the broadening of the definition of NTU in research and practice to draw attention to persons who might not be entitled to particular social rights but should be, due to their living conditions (Dewanckel et al, 2022).…”

“…This is interesting, because it forms the basis for a debate on the discrepancy between the formal entitlement to social rights and the substantial access one has to these rights. Dewanckel et al (2022) stress that although the idea of entitlement is traditionally associated with the concept of citizenship, more recently, non-citizenship or “denizenship” (e.g., Benton, 2014; Standing, 2014) covers more convincingly the lack of access to social rights. “Denizens” are persons with legal right of residence who only enjoy limited partial rights to welfare and political participation (Turner, 2016).…”

“…” (Dewanckel et al, 2022, p. 9). The authors then plead for the broadening of the definition of NTU in research and practice to draw attention to persons who might not be entitled to particular social rights but should be, due to their living conditions (Dewanckel et al, 2022). Subsequently, the question of eligibility, certainly in the homelessness context, forms a significant topic for debate.…”

Migrants and social policy: shifting research agendas

“…However, when looking only at households that are eligible for welfare benefits, the pattern changes: in certain countries such as the UK, Australia, Spain, and most notably in Cyprus, migrants display significantly lower welfare dependency than natives (Giulietti, 2014;Jakubiak, 2020). The literature therefore also speaks of non-take-up of welfare benefits (Bruckmeier & Wiemers, 2017;Dewanckel et al, 2021;Lucas et al, 2021).…”

The transformation of European welfare states and its implications for social work (research): staying on the tanker or choosing a small sloop?

“…The UDHR provides the foundation of the obligation for states to protect the civic and the political rights (for example, the right to privacy and the right to vote, respectively), as well as to progressively and substantively realise the social rights, of formally recognised members of the national community. In other words, the concept of social rights as a defining feature of citizenship commonly implies that the state incorporates a redistribution logic and that citizens in European societies are formally and legally entitled to social benefits, resources and services that are redistributed by the welfare state (Dewanckel et al, 2021).…”