Should social security reach further? Ineligibility for benefits at the start of COVID-19

The benefits system – particularly Universal Credit (UC) – has played a major role in Britain’s COVID-19 response, and it is no surprise that there has been an emphasis on how well it has responded. However, there is a political question about whether more people should be eligible for benefits per se. This is partly about whether more people should be eligible for UC, by amending the household means test (so that people are less affected by their partner’s earnings), amending or removing the wealth test, or amending the restrictions on access to benefits by migrants. But it is also about the role of contributory benefits – ‘new style’ Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) and Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) – and whether the contributory benefits system needs reform.
In this report, we present the findings of exploratory research funded by the Health Foundation focusing on people who are ineligible for benefits but who may be in financial need.