Independent report

Jobs and benefits: the COVID-19 challenge

Report assessing the impact of COVID-19 on the benefits system and the measures needed to get people back to work.

• From: Social Security Advisory Committee
• Published: 2 March 2021
• Last updated: 18 March 2022 — See all updates

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Jobs and benefits: the COVID-19 challenge

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Jobs and benefits: the COVID-19 challenge

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Details

The Social Security Advisory Committee (SSAC) and the Institute for Government (IfG) held 2 webinars in October 2020 to assess what lessons could be learnt and what issues should be addressed in response to COVID-19. The report starts with 2 propositions reviewing the immediate and likely longer-term impact of the pandemic. It provides a brief account of how the benefits system has come to be the way it is, before making recommendations for changes both to that system and on the measures needed to tackle the crucial task of getting people back into work.

The report makes 3 sets of recommendations as steps towards improving the structure of the UK’s system of benefit and employment support in the light of issues that COVID-19 has highlighted.

The government’s response to this report was published on 18 March 2022.

Published 2 March 2021
Last updated 18 March 2022 + show all updates

1. 18 March 2022

   Added a link to the government response.

2. 2 March 2021

   First published.