The Sanctions, Support and Service Leavers Project
Since 2017, we have been leading a qualitative longitudinal research project funded by the Forces in Mind Trust (FiMT) called Sanctions, Support and Service Leavers. The project explores military veterans’ experiences of navigating various aspects of the mainstream benefits system (e.g., application processes, benefits assessments, conditionality, interactions with the DWP, and intersections between benefits and Armed Forces compensation/pensions). It represents the first and only project of its kind within the UK, bridging the policy worlds of welfare reform and veterans’ support. The project originally ran for two years (2017–2019) but was extended in 2020 for a further three years in recognition of its significant policy and practice impact. This project has supported the enhancement of the DWP Armed Forces Champions network, the development of new DWP Armed Forces Leads and the introduction of an Armed Forces marker on Universal Credit. Through this project, we have also made the first ever call for the application of trauma-informed principles within the UK benefits system.
Project team
Dr Celia Hynes
Joe Pardoe (PGR student)
Please see below commissioned illustrations from a graphic novel which runs alongside this project.
