Katie Pybus

Our knowledge and awareness of mental health has never been greater. Yet little progress has been made in addressing a key cause of population mental ill-health: financial insecurity. This book argues that tackling inequalities through the social security system could offer a new focus to help stop our current trajectory of worsening poverty and distress. Featuring original research and focusing on three key areas: prevention, support and investment, it sets out how well-designed social security systems could play a central role in our collective mental health and discusses the changes that are needed to get there.

Our knowledge and awareness of mental health has never been greater. Yet little progress has been made in addressing a key cause of population mental ill-health: financial insecurity. This book argues that tackling inequalities through the social security system could offer a new focus to help stop our current trajectory of worsening poverty and distress. Featuring original research and focusing on three key areas: prevention, support and investment, it sets out how well-designed social security systems could play a central role in our collective mental health and discusses the changes that are needed to get there.

Money was already tight for UK families living on a low income before the COVID-19 pandemic, but national lockdowns made life much harder. Telling the stories of these families, this book exposes the ways that pre-existing inequalities, insecurities and hardships were amplified during the pandemic for families who were already in poverty before COVID-19, as well as those pushed into poverty by the economic fallout it created. Drawing on the Covid Realities research programme, and developed in partnership with parents and carers, it explores experiences of home-schooling, social security receipt and government, community and charitable support. This book sets out all that is wrong with the status quo, while also offering a powerful agenda for change. Also see ‘COVID-19 Collaborations: Researching Poverty and Low-Income Family Life during the Pandemic’ (Open Access) to find out more about the challenges of carrying out research during COVID-19.