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Challenging welfare mythmaking: Caps, (mis)classification and concealment of larger families’ labour in austerity Britain

Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review

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Challenging welfare mythmaking: Caps, (mis)classification and concealment of larger families’ labour in austerity Britain. / Patrick, Ruth; Jensen, Tracey.
In: Critical Social Policy, 26.03.2025.

Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review

Harvard

Patrick, R & Jensen, T 2025, 'Challenging welfare mythmaking: Caps, (mis)classification and concealment of larger families’ labour in austerity Britain', Critical Social Policy. https://doi.org/10.1177/02610183251324115

APA

Patrick, R., & Jensen, T. (2025). Challenging welfare mythmaking: Caps, (mis)classification and concealment of larger families’ labour in austerity Britain. Critical Social Policy. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/02610183251324115

Vancouver

Patrick R, Jensen T. Challenging welfare mythmaking: Caps, (mis)classification and concealment of larger families’ labour in austerity Britain. Critical Social Policy. 2025 Mar 26. Epub 2025 Mar 26. doi: 10.1177/02610183251324115

Author

Patrick, Ruth ; Jensen, Tracey. / Challenging welfare mythmaking : Caps, (mis)classification and concealment of larger families’ labour in austerity Britain. In: Critical Social Policy. 2025.

Bibtex

@article{5b464bfd23ed4735aa344f3d9457a89f,
title = "Challenging welfare mythmaking: Caps, (mis)classification and concealment of larger families{\textquoteright} labour in austerity Britain",
abstract = "The alleged {\textquoteleft}welfare dependence{\textquoteright} of larger families has long been used as a symbolic anchoring point in seeking to legitimise British welfare reform. This article focuses on the Benefit Cap and Two-Child Limit, setting out how defences of both reforms framed impacted claimants as {\textquoteleft}workless{\textquoteright}, {\textquoteleft}welfare-dependent{\textquoteright} and requiring welfare constraint and restriction to {\textquoteleft}activate{\textquoteright} them. Larger families are particularly sensitive to social security policy changes due to their higher needs and yet their everyday experiences are rarely heard. This article is a corrective to this, drawing on qualitative longitudinal research with families affected by both policies. We document how larger families are both routinely engaged in the labour market and doing extensive social reproductive labour. A dominant policy framing of {\textquoteleft}worklessness{\textquoteright} collides with the everyday realities of larger families. We argue that a re-imagined welfare state can and should recognise and resource social reproductive labour and make that work possible.",
author = "Ruth Patrick and Tracey Jensen",
year = "2025",
month = mar,
day = "26",
doi = "10.1177/02610183251324115",
language = "English",
journal = "Critical Social Policy",
issn = "0261-0183",
publisher = "SAGE Publications Ltd",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - Challenging welfare mythmaking

T2 - Caps, (mis)classification and concealment of larger families’ labour in austerity Britain

AU - Patrick, Ruth

AU - Jensen, Tracey

PY - 2025/3/26

Y1 - 2025/3/26

N2 - The alleged ‘welfare dependence’ of larger families has long been used as a symbolic anchoring point in seeking to legitimise British welfare reform. This article focuses on the Benefit Cap and Two-Child Limit, setting out how defences of both reforms framed impacted claimants as ‘workless’, ‘welfare-dependent’ and requiring welfare constraint and restriction to ‘activate’ them. Larger families are particularly sensitive to social security policy changes due to their higher needs and yet their everyday experiences are rarely heard. This article is a corrective to this, drawing on qualitative longitudinal research with families affected by both policies. We document how larger families are both routinely engaged in the labour market and doing extensive social reproductive labour. A dominant policy framing of ‘worklessness’ collides with the everyday realities of larger families. We argue that a re-imagined welfare state can and should recognise and resource social reproductive labour and make that work possible.

AB - The alleged ‘welfare dependence’ of larger families has long been used as a symbolic anchoring point in seeking to legitimise British welfare reform. This article focuses on the Benefit Cap and Two-Child Limit, setting out how defences of both reforms framed impacted claimants as ‘workless’, ‘welfare-dependent’ and requiring welfare constraint and restriction to ‘activate’ them. Larger families are particularly sensitive to social security policy changes due to their higher needs and yet their everyday experiences are rarely heard. This article is a corrective to this, drawing on qualitative longitudinal research with families affected by both policies. We document how larger families are both routinely engaged in the labour market and doing extensive social reproductive labour. A dominant policy framing of ‘worklessness’ collides with the everyday realities of larger families. We argue that a re-imagined welfare state can and should recognise and resource social reproductive labour and make that work possible.

U2 - 10.1177/02610183251324115

DO - 10.1177/02610183251324115

M3 - Journal article

JO - Critical Social Policy

JF - Critical Social Policy

SN - 0261-0183

ER -