Effects on mental health of a UK welfare reform, Universal Credit: a longitudinal controlled study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Universal Credit, a welfare benefit reform in the UK, began to replace six existing benefit schemes in April, 2013, starting with the income-based Job Seekers Allowance. We aimed to determine the effects on mental health of the introduction of Universal Credit.

Methods

In this longitudinal controlled study, we linked 197 111 observations from 52 187 individuals of working age (16-64 years) in England, Wales, and Scotland who participated in the Understanding Society UK Longitudinal Household Panel Study between 2009 and 2018 with administrative data on the month when Universal Credit was introduced into the area in which each respondent lived. We included participants who had data on employment status, local authority area of residence, psychological distress, and

SUBMITTER: Wickham S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7208537 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature