Welfare At A Social Distance (WASD) - Social Security During COVID-19

Social Security During COVID-19: Public Attitudes and Experiences of Welfare at a Social Distance

IAA Funded Project Outcome

• There were good reasons to think COVID-19 would increase public support for welfare: initially, it was a time of apparent increased solidarity in the face of a collective crisis; of clearly ‘deserving’ claimants; and of increases in direct experiences of the benefits system. And yet, the limited evidence collected so far suggests that attitudes have changed very little. Welfare at a (Social) Distance — a major project funded by the UKRI’s rapid response to COVID-19 — has been exploring why this is the case and has published a new video on their latest findings.

• For many of those worst affected by COVID-19, the pandemic has been characterised by profound change and uncertainty. Supported by the ESRC IAA Responsive Mode fund, a new research comic also shares people's first-hand experience of claiming benefits during the pandemic and consider what this tells us about working-age social security today. You can learn more about the research and read the comic here.

For further information please contact Daniel Edmiston: D.Edmiston@leeds.ac.uk