Experiences of Universal Credit in Salford

‘Exploring experiences of Universal Credit in Salford’ will be taking place over 18 months and seeks to understand both the lived experience of those who are claiming UC, as well as how the local authority, housing providers, third sector organisations and employers (where relevant) in Salford are impacted by its implementation. The overall aim of this project is to provide an empirically informed understanding of the roll out of UC in Salford in order to inform future policy and practice. There are three key questions that the research seeks to address:

What is the impact of Universal Credit in Salford, both on claimants and wider stakeholders?

What approaches are being taken to mitigate the impacts/support claimants? (i.e. identifying good practice, key areas of resilience, etc.)

To what extent are such current mitigation approaches effective in the longer term?

This is a mixed-methods study drawing on the experience of both UC recipients and key policy and practice stakeholders. It will also work to identify data sources and, if possible, quantify the financial impacts of UC’s roll out on Salford City Council.

Team: Lisa Scullion and Andrea Gibbons