Social and Public Policy

Clare Bambra, Julia Lynch and Katherine Smith, authors of 'Getting Better', argue that declining healthy life expectancy and widening health inequalities in the UK are the result of political and economic choices, such as austerity, weak regulation and inequality, meaning they can be reversed through sustained policy action on welfare, public services and social conditions if there is political will.…Read more

In this episode of the podcast, George Miller speaks to Madeleine Sumption, author of 'What is Immigration Policy for?'. They discuss why there is no single ‘right’ level of immigration, how the same evidence can lead to such different conclusions, and why attempts to control migration numbers so often fail.…Read more

Tom Bewick, author of 'Skills Policy in Britain and the Future of Work', argues that Britain’s long-running skills crisis reflects a recurring pattern of under investment, social inequality, and an over relianc on market-led, voluntary training systems that have repeatedly failed to keep pace with economic change.…Read more

The article argues that improving pensions is essential if reforms to adult social care work are to genuinely address inequality, retention and job quality.…Read more

This year on the Transforming Society podcast, we’ve highlighted the stories behind research that tackles society’s biggest challenges and sparks meaningful change.…Read more

Bristol Refugee Rights supports thousands of refugees and asylum seekers each year, helping them survive hostile immigration policies, harmful media narratives and rising anti-migrant hostility while rebuilding their lives with dignity and support.…Read more

Gerry Mitchell, co-author of 'Uncomfortably Off', argues that political timidity and a broken fiscal system have produced deep inequality and failing public services, leaving even high earners feeling squeezed and showing that only bold, systemic reform.…Read more

Academics Stand Against Poverty argue that a budget guided by the socioeconomic duty would harness existing data to assess the inequality impacts of government decisions, ensuring policies actively reduce rather than worsen socioeconomic disadvantage.…Read more

E. K. Sarter and Elizabeth Cookingham Bailey discuss how digitalisation in public services offers potential benefits but is limited by whether services are bound to physical space, requiring tailored strategies for different activities and tasks. …Read more

The UK’s failure to provide universal social care, despite the immense value of unpaid care, reflects a deep political neglect and lack of recognition for carers' needs and rights.…Read more