Welfare conditionality, ethics and social care for older people in the UK: From civic rights to abandonment?
Authors
Carey, MalcolmAffiliation
University of ChesterPublication Date
2021-12-13
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Welfare systems are becoming ever more conditional, with access to state support increasingly rationed via a legion of legally-defined and financially-driven restrictions and rules. Civic protection and economic rights for older citizens within Western policy systems are subsequently diminishing and continue to give way to neoliberal discursive practices which prioritise welfare activation, autonomy, participation, asset-based yet precarious self-care, the aversion of health-centred risks and much higher levels of eligibility for support. This article looks at welfare conditionality and its relationship to older people, ethics and governance within social care. By using three examples of welfare conditional reforms from the UK, it is highlighted that strains typically persist between the altruistic components of some ethical frameworks and the everyday experiences of many older people. The relative gatekeeping powers of welfare professionals and expectations placed on family members and carers have also increased, especially upon older people with higher needs and who may lack economic and cultural capital. This is despite rhetorical policy-led claims of increasing choice and control, and allowing support to be more asset-based and personalised.Citation
Carey, M. (2022). Welfare conditionality, ethics and social care for older people in the UK: From civic rights to abandonment?’ British Journal of Social Work, 52(5), 3230–3246. https://doi.org/10.1093/bjsw/bcab233Publisher
Oxford University PressJournal
British Journal of Social WorkAdditional Links
https://academic.oup.com/bjsw/advance-article-abstract/doi/10.1093/bjsw/bcab233/6460193?redirectedFrom=fulltextType
ArticleDescription
This is a pre-copyedited, author-produced PDF of an article accepted for publication in [British Journal of Social Work] following peer review. The version of record [Carey, M. (2022). Welfare conditionality, ethics and social care for older people in the UK: From civic rights to abandonment?’ British Journal of Social Work, 52(5), 3230–3246] is available online at: https://academic.oup.com/bjsw/advance-article-abstract/doi/10.1093/bjsw/bcab233/6460193?redirectedFrom=fulltext.Series/Report no.
n/aISSN
0045-3102EISSN
1468-263Xae974a485f413a2113503eed53cd6c53
10.1093/bjsw/bcab233
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