Publications

Despite widespread claims about the benefits of social procurement, there is little robust evidence that emerging social procurement policies are achieving their intended outcomes. Addressing this gap in research, this paper presents a case study of a theoretically informed and methodologically robust evaluative social return on investment (SROI) analysis of a construction training initiative developed…

This commentary proposes the adoption of a spatial justice approach to under-standing the multiple crises facing rural Britain and developing policy responses. It introduces spatial justice as a concept rooted in urban studies but recently ex-tended by an emerging literature on rural spatial justice, and outlines a multidi-mensional framework in which spatial justice may be…

Using nationally representative longitudinal data from Understanding Society we explore the relationship between disability and political participation in the UK. More specifically, we examine the determinants of the ‘disability voting gap’, and assess how it varies by the severity, type and chronicity of disability. After accounting for demographic characteristics, the disability voting gap across UK General Elections…

Learning has occupied a prominent place in Chinese culture since ancient times with the philosophy and practice of K’ung Ch’iu, (c551-c479, BCE), known to the Occident as Confucius, a pervasive influence (Liu Wu-Chi 1955). The promotion of learning was the duty of Imperial officials, and this also achieved high levels of civic participation by local…

It is estimated that a third of people in the United Kingdom with signs of dementia are living without a formal diagnosis. In Wales, the proportion is nearly half. Some explanations for the gap between prevalence of dementia and number of diagnoses include living with a long-term partner/spouse and systemic barriers to diagnosis. This study…

It is estimated that over half a million people visited one network of ‘warm rooms’ during the winter of 2022 in the UK, a figure that may rise to 2.5 million people if other networks are considered. As well as offering a means to try to limit exposure to cold temperatures and reduce household energy costs,…

Using data from two national surveys, the Quarterly Labour Force Survey and the Workplace Employment Relations Survey, we establish evidence of a robust disability-related trade union membership differential in the UK. After controlling for differences in other personal and work-related characteristics, disabled employees are found to be 3.6 percentage points (12–14 per cent) more likely…

This paper explores UK school students’ protest activism relating to their schools’ policies and practices, drawing on two datasets: 1) a newspaper analysis of media reports relating to school protests between 2000 and 2021; 2) a survey of 800 secondary school pupils in Wales. Drawing on social movements literature and adapting concepts for the school…

Background People experiencing homelessness have elevated morbidity, increasing their risk of COVID-19 related complications and mortality. Achieving high vaccination coverage in a timely manner among homeless populations was therefore important during the mass vaccination programme in Wales to limit adverse outcomes. However, no systematic monitoring of vaccinations among people experiencing homelessness in Wales has been…

Increased time spent in nature can enhance physical health and mental wellbeing. The UK Government’s ‘25 Year Environment Plan’ recommends extending the health benefits of contact with nature to a wider group of people, including those with mental health challenges. This study investigated whether nature-based interventions (NBIs) for people with mild mental health challenges could…