Re-examining ‘personalised conditionality’: full-time obligations, partial adjustments and power asymmetries in the UK’s approach to work-related conditionality

Hughes, Ceri (2024) Re-examining ‘personalised conditionality’: full-time obligations, partial adjustments and power asymmetries in the UK’s approach to work-related conditionality. Journal of Social Policy. ISSN 0047-2794

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Abstract

Work-related conditionality policy in the UK is built around the problematic assumption that people should commit to 'full-time' work and job search efforts as a condition of receiving benefits. This is potentially in conflict with the idea that what is required of people should be tailored to their circumstances in some way - 'personalised conditionality' - and implies a failure to recognise that conditionality is being applied to a diverse group of people and in a context where the paid work that is available is often temporary and insecure. Drawing on thirty-three qualitative interviews with people subject to intensive work-related conditionality whilst receiving Universal Credit or Jobseeker's Allowance in Manchester, the paper explores the work-related time demands that people were facing and argues that these provide a lens for examining the rigidities and contradictions of conditionality policy. The findings indicate that expectations are often set in relation to an ideal of full-time hours and in a highly asymmetric context that is far from conducive to being able to negotiate a reasonable set of work-related expectations. Work search requirements affect people differently depending on their personal circumstances and demand-side factors, and can act to weaken the position of people entering, or already in, work.

Item Type:	Article
Additional Information:	© 2024 The Author
Divisions:	Social Policy
Subjects:	H Social Sciences H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor H Social Sciences > HV Social pathology. Social and public welfare. Criminology
Date Deposited:	02 Sep 2024 13:51
Last Modified:	11 Nov 2024 17:04
URI:	http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/id/eprint/125319

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