Dr Hayley Bennett
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haylesben.bsky.social
Dr Hayley Bennett
@haylesben.bsky.social
750 followers 770 following 340 posts

Senior Lecturer in Social Policy, University of Edinburgh. Welfare state, social security, (un)employment, poverty, policy-making. Views own, RTs not endorsements. https://www.sps.ed.ac.uk/staff/hayley-bennett

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Medicine 20%
Political science 19%
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haylesben.bsky.social
Dr Hayley Bennett @haylesben.bsky.social · 5d
ASAP UK webinar: 'Social Security & Poverty reflecting on the post General Election period & looking ahead to the Devolved Parliament elections'. ASAP UK manifesto audit & the anti-poverty challenges in the lead up to the Scottish & Welsh elections: 26.2.26 2:30-4pm

docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
ASAP UK February Seminar: Social Security and Poverty reflecting on the post General Election period and looking ahead to the Devolved Parliament elections.
26th February 2026 2:30-4pm This webinar will bring together one of the ASAP UK election auditors with two academics from Wales and Scotland to discuss the current housing challenges in relation to ...
eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com

Reposted by Hayley Bennett

policy-politics.bsky.social
Policy & Politics @policy-politics.bsky.social · 5d
Explore the latest Quarterly Highlights Collection and read about the research on our blog @samwarner.bsky.social @dianecoyle1859.bsky.social @profdaverichards.bsky.social @clemmiehilloconnor.bsky.social @haylesben.bsky.social @catherineneedham.bsky.social policyandpoliticsblog.com/2026/02/02/q...

Reposted by Dave O’Brien, Hayley Bennett

karengregory.bsky.social
Karen Gregory @karengregory.bsky.social · 6d
With many thanks to @uoe-cahss.bsky.social for funding, I'm delighted that the Network for the Study of Work (NSW) is launching in February:

www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/cahss-netw...

With help from @haylesben.bsky.social, @ibalilebali.bsky.social and @tomoshea.org
CAHSS Network for the Study of Work
With funding from the CAHSS Interdisciplinary Fund, we are pleased to announce the launch of the Network for the Study of Work (NSW).
www.eventbrite.co.uk

Reposted by Hayley Bennett

policy-politics.bsky.social
Policy & Politics @policy-politics.bsky.social · 7d
📣 Call for special issues 📣

If you'd like to guest edit a special issue of Policy & Politics submit your proposal by 30 April!

Learn more here bristoluniversitypressdigital.com/view/journal...

#PublicPolicy #PolicySky #PolicyStudies

haylesben.bsky.social
Dr Hayley Bennett @haylesben.bsky.social · 14d
Nominations are open for the SPA awards
socialpolicyuk.bsky.social Social Policy Association @socialpolicyuk.bsky.social · 20d
📣Nominations are open for the SPA 2026 awards for these categories:

• Outstanding Achievement
• Public Understanding
• Outstanding Teaching
• Richard Titmuss Book Prize

social-policy.org.uk/what-we-do/a...

Deadline closes at 5pm on 02/03/2026.

Info: social-policy.org.uk/awards/the-s...

haylesben.bsky.social
Dr Hayley Bennett @haylesben.bsky.social · 19d
haha I had a full rant on LinkedIn on Monday after receiving some poor quality peer reviews about feedback and the general culture of peer review. Couldn't hold it in any longer!

Reposted by Hayley Bennett

city-redi.bsky.social
City-REDI @city-redi.bsky.social · 19d
📢 Job Vacancy📢

City-REDI is hiring for a full time Policy and Data Analyst, fixed term contract up to September 2027.

Find out more and apply by 4th February.

https://ow.ly/k9AH50Y0vHO

Reposted by Stephen Evans, Hayley Bennett

learnworkuk.bsky.social
Learning and Work Institute @learnworkuk.bsky.social · 19d
Apply to be the new Head of Research at L&W!

In this role, you would lead innovative, impactful research and evaluation projects across our focus areas of employment and skills. 🔍

Think you'd be the right fit? Find out more and apply by 20 February. 📬
Head of Research: Qualitative Methods and Evaluation - Learning and Work Institute
learningandwork.org.uk

haylesben.bsky.social
Dr Hayley Bennett @haylesben.bsky.social · 19d
I'm nudging that if framing discussions in terms of 'welfare dependency' to think about all who depend on income from the welfare state, broadening beyond ppl in direct receipt of benefits to include a range of others in our society whose business models or income depend on our welfare state model.

haylesben.bsky.social
Dr Hayley Bennett @haylesben.bsky.social · 19d
www.researchgate.net/profile/Lind...
www.researchgate.net

haylesben.bsky.social
Dr Hayley Bennett @haylesben.bsky.social · 19d
bristoluniversitypressdigital.com/view/journal...
bristoluniversitypressdigital.com

haylesben.bsky.social
Dr Hayley Bennett @haylesben.bsky.social · 19d
I think there's a critical (& IMO important) distinction between calling groups of people 'dependent on welfare' & use of a less politicised phrase of 'in receipt of social security'. I don't mind having diff views but some links to why it might matter onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com

haylesben.bsky.social
Dr Hayley Bennett @haylesben.bsky.social · 19d
I agree with the "turkeys and Xmas" point you're raising, but the phrase 'most dependent on welfare'??? Simply "in receipt of social security' would work. (Many people in receipt of benefits are part of in-work households. Who is really depending on this money? Employers? Landlords perhaps?)

haylesben.bsky.social
Dr Hayley Bennett @haylesben.bsky.social · 19d
*we don't have to limit

haylesben.bsky.social
Dr Hayley Bennett @haylesben.bsky.social · 19d
I don't really read the Evening Standard but they had an article "why don't we take free transport off older people and give to the young". Actually we don't to limit policy making to pitching ppl against each other (e.g. in Scotland there's free or discounted travel for both age groups).

haylesben.bsky.social
Dr Hayley Bennett @haylesben.bsky.social · 19d
I'll be contributing to the Academics Stand Against Poverty Webinar on 26th February 2026 (2:30-4pm) discussing social security and Welsh and Scot Elections alongside Richard Machin and @rodhick.bsky.social

eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com?url=https%3A...
Academics Stand Against Poverty UK | Manifesto Audit
ASAP UK brings together a range of academics who have carried out a review of 9 key topics to consider the effectiveness of the public policy platforms in reducing poverty.
eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com

haylesben.bsky.social
Dr Hayley Bennett @haylesben.bsky.social · 19d
The SPA awards are now open for nominations in the categories below. Please get in touch if you have questions.
socialpolicyuk.bsky.social Social Policy Association @socialpolicyuk.bsky.social · 20d
📣Nominations are open for the SPA 2026 awards for these categories:

• Outstanding Achievement
• Public Understanding
• Outstanding Teaching
• Richard Titmuss Book Prize

social-policy.org.uk/what-we-do/a...

Deadline closes at 5pm on 02/03/2026.

Info: social-policy.org.uk/awards/the-s...

Reposted by Gideon Calder, Hayley Bennett

socialpolicyuk.bsky.social
Social Policy Association @socialpolicyuk.bsky.social · 20d
📣Nominations are open for the SPA 2026 awards for these categories:

• Outstanding Achievement
• Public Understanding
• Outstanding Teaching
• Richard Titmuss Book Prize

social-policy.org.uk/what-we-do/a...

Deadline closes at 5pm on 02/03/2026.

Info: social-policy.org.uk/awards/the-s...

Reposted by Hayley Bennett

socialpolicyuk.bsky.social
Social Policy Association @socialpolicyuk.bsky.social · Jan 8
Join the Australian Social Policy Association at the University of Queensland for the 2026 Australian Social Policy Conference, 30 September — 2 October!

Abstract deadline: Monday 2 February 2026

For more information, including the call for papers, please see their website: www.aspc2026.com.
Australian Social Policy Conference 2026
www.aspc2026.com

haylesben.bsky.social
Dr Hayley Bennett @haylesben.bsky.social · Jan 6
This is worth a read by Polly Mackenzie. It would be a useful teaching resource to kick off for a public policy seminar discussion:
howtorunacountry.substack.com/p/there-aren...
There aren't any levers
A dead metaphor is killing the government's ability to get things done
howtorunacountry.substack.com

Reposted by Alison Phipps, Hayley Bennett

premnsikka.bsky.social
Prem Sikka @premnsikka.bsky.social · Dec 14
Good that UK govt wants to lift 550,000 children out of poverty.

BUT 16m people, including 5.2m children, live in poverty.

24m people live below socially acceptable living standards.

Can't end child poverty without tackling parental poverty. Can't do that without reforming capitalism.
To tackle child poverty the government must deal with parental poverty
Labour's child poverty strategy offers some welcome measures, but it won't address the factors keeping families trapped in poverty
leftfootforward.org

haylesben.bsky.social
Dr Hayley Bennett @haylesben.bsky.social · Dec 12
There are 54 pieces in a Jenga set. Instead of picking just one as being the problem (staff strikes), what about the other 53? Some of which will be about underfunding, or the inefficiency of private providers and quasi-markets, or ineffective managerialism, or out of date training pathways

haylesben.bsky.social
Dr Hayley Bennett @haylesben.bsky.social · Dec 12
Thanks for doing and sharing this work. The SCP cliff edge is a really important issue to examine so I’m really looking forward to reading this report.

Reposted by Hayley Bennett

theguardian.com
The Guardian @theguardian.com · Dec 12
Christmas strikes could be ‘Jenga piece’ that collapses NHS, says Wes Streeting
Christmas strikes could be ‘Jenga piece’ that collapses NHS, says Wes Streeting
Health secretary urges resident doctors to accept pay offer as he warns of pressures on health service from flu cases Wes Streeting has warned resident doctors that strikes and a jump in flu cases over the Christmas period could be “the Jenga piece” that forces the NHS to collapse. The health secretary said the NHS faced a “challenge unlike any it has seen since the pandemic” and urged resident doctors to accept the government’s offer and end their actions. Continue reading...
www.theguardian.com

Reposted by Hayley Bennett

premnsikka.bsky.social
Prem Sikka @premnsikka.bsky.social · Dec 12
Private equity curse.

Company on Burnley bought by PE to cut staff by 90%. Loyalty counts for nothing.

Typical PE business model - cut staff/wages, high debt, asset stripping, price hikes, sweat assets, profit shifting, tax abuse, extract high returns, move on to the next victim.
Exertis UK 'to cut 90% of its staff' in distribution business | AV Magazine
The move comes amid reports of issues with maintaining credit insurance just a month after the completion of a sale to private equity buyer Aurelius.
www.avinteractive.com

Reposted by Monica G. Turner, Dan Goldhaber, Julie L. Lockwood , and 17 more

hormiga.bsky.social
Terry McGlynn @hormiga.bsky.social · Dec 11
You can do this right now:

Think of a person who wrote a paper you love, whose work influenced or helped you, or has made your professional life better.

Search up their email address. Shoot them a quick email of thanks. It means so, so much. This is a rough time of year, share some joy.

Reposted by Mary Bosworth, Richard S.J. Tol, Howard Williams , and 35 more

lucynoakes1.bsky.social
lucynoakes1.bsky.social @lucynoakes1.bsky.social · Dec 11
Ongoing decimation of British universities part 252:

Apx. 1000 academic staff at University of Essex just received formal ‘risk of redundancy’ letters via email.

Please share @ucuessex.bsky.social @ucu.org.uk

haylesben.bsky.social
Dr Hayley Bennett @haylesben.bsky.social · Dec 9
How getting home from work felt tonight #Edinburgh
a black and white photo of a man crawling in the mud
ALT: a black and white photo of a man crawling in the mud
media.tenor.com

haylesben.bsky.social
Dr Hayley Bennett @haylesben.bsky.social · Dec 9
- REF = we want academics to work with non-academic partners more
- funders = we want academics to work interdisciplinary or across institutions more
- universities = we want academics to create spin out companies, take on leadership, be “global superstars”
alice from alice in wonderland is standing in the woods and talking to someone
ALT: alice from alice in wonderland is standing in the woods and talking to someone
media.tenor.com

haylesben.bsky.social
Dr Hayley Bennett @haylesben.bsky.social · Dec 9
- Student feedback = we want more face to face time with academics
-colleagues = we want more of an intellectual community & seminars together
- Professional service colleagues = we want more meetings with academic staff
- Phd students = we want to know & see academic colleagues more