Welfare at a (Social) Distance, 2020-2021: Wave 1

<p>Welfare at a (Social) Distance is a major research project looking at the UK benefits system during the Covid-19 pandemic. It is funded by the <a href="https://esrc.ukri.org/">Economic and Social Research Council</a> as part of <a href="https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=ES%2FV003879%2F1">UK Research and Innovation's rapid response to COVID-19</a>. Further information can be found on the <a title="Welfare at a (Social) Distance" href="https://hub.salford.ac.uk/welfare-at-a-social-distance/" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Welfare at a (Social) Distance</a> project website.</p><p>The benefits system is crucial to supporting people during, and after, the COVID-19 crisis. With a growing number of new claimants, it faces two challenges. Firstly, to ensure people quickly get the money they need. Secondly, to make sure that people are helped to quickly return to work or supported further if unable to work.</p><p>In this project, we provide vital information on how we are meeting these challenges and, where the system is struggling.</p><p>The project includes several components (please note, not all are yet available from the UK Data Service, as marked):</p><ol> <li>Three waves of YouGov surveys of new and existing benefit claimants (wave 1 n=8k) (only Wave 1 is currently included here);</li> <li>Three waves of YouGov surveys of the general population about their attitudes to benefits (wave 1 n=1.6k) (not yet available);</li> <li>Two waves of qualitative interviews (via phone/Zoom) with new and existing claimants (w1 n=80) (not yet available);</li> <li>Qualitative interviews (via phone/Zoom) with organisations that provide support to benefit claimants, in four case study areas - Salford, Leeds, Newham (London), and Thanet (East Kent) (n=48) (not yet available).</li> </ol><p> </p><p>The data deposit will also include data from a smaller related project funded by the Health Foundation on those NOT claiming benefits who have either tried and failed to claim, are in need but ineligible, or who may be eligible but decided not to claim. Again, this includes a YouGov survey (n=3k) and qualitative interviews (approx n=20).</p>