Journal
BMJ OPEN
Volume 12, Issue 4, Pages -Publisher
BMJ PUBLISHING GROUP
DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-061340
Keywords
PUBLIC HEALTH; HEALTH ECONOMICS; QUALITATIVE RESEARCH; MENTAL HEALTH
Categories
Funding
- UK National Institute of Health Research Public Health Research Programme [NIHR131709]
- UK Medical Research Council [MC_UU_00022/2]
- Scottish Government Chief Scientist Office [SPHSU17]
- NRS Senior Clinical Fellowship [SCAF/15/02]
- European Research Council [949582]
- NIHR Applied Research Collaboration for the North East and North Cumbria [NIHR200173]
- National Prevention Research Initiative for the Systems science in Public Health and Health Economics Research consortium [MR/S037578/1]
- NIHR Applied Research Collaboration for Greater Manchester [NIHR200174]
- Wellcome Trust Society and Ethics Research Fellowship [200335/Z/15/Z]
- Medical Research Council (MRC) on a Clinician Scientist Fellowship [MR/P008577/1]
- NIHR Applied Research Collaboration for the North West Coast [NIHR200182]
- National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) School for Public Health Research (SPHR)
- National Institutes of Health Research (NIHR) [NIHR131709] Funding Source: National Institutes of Health Research (NIHR)
- Wellcome Trust [200335/Z/15/Z] Funding Source: Wellcome Trust
- European Research Council (ERC) [949582] Funding Source: European Research Council (ERC)
Ask authors/readers for more resources
This study aims to comprehensively evaluate the impact of UC on mental health, comparing health outcomes of new UC recipients with legacy benefit recipients, and exploring the sociodemographic and health characteristics of UC claimants. In addition, the study will conduct longitudinal interviews with UC claimants and analyze the long-term health impacts using a microsimulation model.
Introduction The UK social security system is being transformed by the implementation of Universal Credit (UC), which combines six existing benefits and tax credits into a single payment for low-income households. Despite extensive reports of hardship associated with the introduction of UC, no previous studies have comprehensively evaluated its impact on mental health. Because payments are targeted at low-income households, impacts on mental health will have important consequences for health inequalities. Methods and analysis We will conduct a mixed methods study. Work package (WP) 1 will compare health outcomes for new recipients of UC with outcomes for legacy benefit recipients in two large population surveys, using the phased rollout of UC as a natural experiment. We will also analyse the relationship between the proportion of UC claimants in small areas and a composite measure of mental health. WP2 will use data collected by Citizen's Advice to explore the sociodemographic and health characteristics of people who seek advice when claiming UC and identify features of the claim process that prompt advice-seeking. WP3 will conduct longitudinal in-depth interviews with up to 80 UC claimants in England and Scotland to explore reasons for claiming and experiences of the claim process. Up to 30 staff supporting claimants will also be interviewed. WP4 will use a dynamic microsimulation model to simulate the long-term health impacts of different implementation scenarios. WP5 will undertake cost-consequence analysis of the potential costs and outcomes of introducing UC and cost-benefit analyses of mitigating actions. Ethics and dissemination We obtained ethical approval for the primary data gathering from the University of Glasgow, College of Social Sciences Research Ethics Committee, application number 400200244. We will use our networks to actively disseminate findings to UC claimants, the public, practitioners and policy-makers, using a range of methods and formats.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available