Welfare conditionality

Welfare conditionality is about linking welfare rights to ‘responsible’ behaviour. A principle of conditionality holds that that access to certain basic, publicly provided, welfare benefits and services should be dependent on an individual first agreeing to meet particular obligations or patterns of behaviour. This research studies conditional welfare in the UK via two main situations. One is where people’s access to welfare is restricted or stopped – for example, by benefit sanctions or rules. The second, equally important, is welfare support – for example, through family intervention projects or help to find work. Generally with these kinds of sanctions and support, governments aim to get people to change their behaviour. All the effects of sanctions and support on people’s lives will be looked into by asking two key questions: First, how effective is conditionality in changing the behaviour of those receiving welfare benefits and services? Second, are there any particular circumstances in which the use of conditionality may, or may not be, justifiable?