The Impact of Welfare Reform in Scotland - Tracking Study - Sweep 3 report

Abstract

The aim of the study is to explore the impact of ongoing welfare changes on a range of households in Scotland. The study consists of six interview sweeps over a three year period (2013-16) and is being carried out by the Employment Research Institute at Edinburgh Napier University and the University of Stirling. This report covers findings up to sweep 3. The study uses a longitudinal qualitative methodology to explore participants’ perspectives on how welfare reform affects them, and to follow their experiences over time. The study draws on the real life experiences of those in receipt of benefits to provide rich, in-depth insights into the impact of welfare reform. Forty-three individuals took part in Sweep 1 of the study, thirtyfive in Sweep 2, and twenty-eight in Sweep 3. The sample design sought to represent the experiences of benefit recipients across a range of locations and socio-demographic characteristics, including lone parent and low income families, disabled claimants, and those in rural areas.