Universal Credit, ubiquitous conditionality and its implications for social citizenship

Abstract

Between 2013 and 2017 Universal Credit replaces six means-tested working age benefits. Backed by a punitive system of tiered sanctions and fines, Universal Credit represents a major expansion and intensification of personalised behavioural conditionality and indicates the ubiquity of conditionality at the heart of twenty-first century UK social citizenship.

Resistance or resignation to welfare reform? The activist politics for and against social citizenship

“…In many respects, recent rounds of welfare reform can be seen as an extension and intensification of the welfare conditionality that emerged in developed welfare regimes in the 1980s and 1990s (Dwyer and Wright, 2014). However, the following discussion demonstrates how contemporary reforms have undermined the social rights of citizenship to such an extent that Ôconditional citizensÕ (Dwyer, 1998) have increasingly become Ôcontingent subjectsÕ of the NZ welfare state.…”

“…Dwyer and Wright, 2014;Berry, 2015;Humpage, 2015b). However, less attention has been given to the varied ways in which those denied the status and rights of citizenship engage in political struggle to defend and contest the ideals, operation and outcomes of social citizenship.…”

Wither Social Citizenship? Lived Experiences of Citizenship In/Exclusion for Recipients of Out-of-Work Benefits

“…The dominant citizenship narrative from above situates engagement in paid employment as the marker of the dutiful, responsible citizen (Lister, 2011;Dwyer and Wright, 2014). In defending welfare reforms that make social welfare eligibility increasingly conditional on taking steps to prepare for and enter the labour market, successive governments have argued that such reforms will deliver 'social inclusion' by supporting targeted individuals to become responsible, hard-working citizens (Levitas, 1998).…”

Rights, responsibilities and refusals: Homelessness policy and the exclusion of single homeless people with complex needs

“…19) identified by Carlen, two decades ago now operate in a new era of welfare retrenchment and intensified ubiquitous conditionality (Dwyer and Wright, 2014), in which policy debates have become preoccupied with both the financial costs of welfare and punishing the 'irresponsible' behaviour of those reliant upon social welfare to meet their basic needs. This state of affairs has enabled policymakers to deflect their gaze away from the long-term, systemic failings of much accepted policy and practice.…”