The state of the nations

This report is part of the research programme of ‘Safety Nets: Social security for families in a devolved UK’. We are the first comprehensive, four-country study of the devolution and localisation of social security in the United Kingdom. The project team spans eight universities, Child Poverty Action Group and the Resolution Foundation.

Devolution and localisation have become increasingly important aspects of social security in the UK since 2012, but the extent of this process and its implications for people who receive benefits are often poorly understood. This report therefore examines the extent, nature, causes and implications of place-based variation in social security for working-age adults and families with dependent children across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. It is part of the Safety Nets research project — the first systematic, UK-wide study of the devolution and localisation of social security.