You are here: Home / Blog

Blog

Chris Goulden

Workfare – how about some evidence?

by Chris Goulden 22 February 2012

Workfare has recently come under close scrutiny, and criticism aimed at some high-profile employers has culminated in a terse response from the Government.

Detractors condemn workfare as barely better than slave labour, while defenders claim it's a valuable addition to other forms of help for unemployed people, but what does the evidence say about whether workfare leads to better outcomes and less poverty?

Nicholas Falk

Building communities that last

by Nicholas Falk 21 February 2012

The UK not only needs to build many more and better homes, but also to build communities that last.

Owen Daggett

The building blocks for zero-carbon homes

by Owen Daggett 20 February 2012

The zero carbon debate has been gathering momentum since the new definition of 'true' zero carbon was announced in the April 2011 budget statement.

For those involved in the industry, regardless of definitions and statements about what zero carbon means on paper, the biggest concern is how this translates into practice, from the designed 'predicted' performance, to the as-built 'actual' performance.

Gordon Hector

Underemployment is a long-term problem – it's not just the recession

by Gordon Hector 16 February 2012

I think there's something significant missing from the commentary on this week's employment statistics. That's the fact that underemployment isn't new, and isn’t just a feature of the 2008-onwards crash.

This graph is from MOPSE 2011:

Gordon Hector

The politics of ageing: where will we be in 2024?

by Gordon Hector 15 February 2012

Paul Goodman's tongue-in-cheek piece aiming to show how Labour could win every election from now until 2024 made me think. One of its arguments was that big demographic changes – immigration, votes in Scotland and voter distribution - would count against the Conservatives.

Julia Unwin

Why we must celebrate – not ignore – ageing

by Julia Unwin 10 February 2012

This decade is one of transition – transition as we adapt to our economic circumstances, transition as we try to reduce the impact of climate change, and transition as we conserve resources of all kinds. But it is also a time of transition in terms of demography.

Julia Unwin

Welfare reform debate ignores the facts about poverty

by Julia Unwin 09 February 2012

The last month has been dominated by the parliamentary debate about welfare reform, and it has been tempting to see this as – finally – a big and public debate about poverty.

Julia Unwin

The Health Select Committee report on Social Care: let's hope it's not the Committee that cried wolf

by Julia Unwin 08 February 2012

The Health Select Committee published a report today, on social care. It's a welcome contribution - and echoes much of JRF's research on how to improve the quality of care.

Kate Bell

Will the cap fit for children in poverty?

by Kate Bell 03 February 2012

As the dust begins to settle on the Welfare Reform Bill, we're left wondering what this means for child poverty.

Gordon Hector

I can't live, if living is without integrated care

by Gordon Hector 02 February 2012

I wouldn't normally open up my heart on the JRF blog. But I need to get this off my chest.

At points last year, it felt like I was in an intense and troubled affair. With the Health and Social Care Bill, that is.

At the start of our liaison we spent every waking hour together. I used to stay up late, learning its every clause. I wouldn't stop talking to my friends about it. I even introduced it to my parents.

RSS Subscribe by RSS

Email Subscribe by email