A stark future looms for struggling British families, as revealed by a recent study led by Professor Mary Daly from Oxford’s Department of Social Policy and Intervention. The research, conducted earlier this year, delved into the experiences of 50 individuals from low-resource families in England and Scotland, highlighting uncertainty and pessimism about the future.
Despite the UK’s self-proclaimed status as a family-friendly society, the study found that family life is severely compromised for those living in poverty or hardship. Professor Daly emphasizes the inadequacy of current policies, particularly in supporting families with children or caring responsibilities. The controversial two-child benefit cap on Universal Credit stands out as an example.
“The UK prides itself as a family-friendly society, but if you are poor or living in hardship, family life is very compromised,” says Professor Daly. She advocates for a fundamental reconsideration of support for families, urging government and other leaders to assess whether enough is being done for those with low resources.
The families involved in the study presented a collective call for:
1. Affordable and accessible childcare services available from an earlier age and in local areas,
2. Improved services for older, ill, or disabled adults,
3. Benefits that cover the genuine costs of family life,
4. More information and support for claimants, and
5. Training for staff in schools and public services to better understand families’ difficulties.
The report on the UK is part of the resilience project, a pan-European research initiative focusing on understanding families’ varying capacities to respond to socio-economic risks. The findings underscore the pressing need for a reevaluation of policies and support mechanisms to address the challenges faced by families in the UK living with limited resources.
