The research, conducted by the University of Bristol’s Personal Finance Research Centre using a breadth of data, found that stigma is structural and systemic in the social security system.
A culture of surveillance and suspicion was identified, creating barriers to productive engagement in employment support and impacting mental health. More than three in five of current claimants surveyed said they felt that the system was trying to catch them out and only 15% of respondents found Jobcentre work coaches beneficial. 80% of PIP claimants regularly feared their support would be taken away, with interviews finding that someone’s whose health was exactly the same as when they successfully claimed could be turned down at their next assessment.
The report highlights how institutional stigma within the benefits system fuels wider societal prejudice, reinforcing harmful stereotypes about people who need financial support. This not only damages claimants’ self-worth but also undermines trust in the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and Jobcentres, where stigma is often felt acutely.
The research shows stigma has far-reaching consequences:
- Mental health harm: More than half of claimants (51%) said the process damaged their mental health, rising to 64% for PIP claimants.
- Institutional indifference: Over a quarter reported DWP errors in handling their claims.
- Financial hardship: Many delay claiming, with a third cutting back on energy and heating, and 1 in 5 getting into debt rather than applying. One in 12 reported using a food bank instead of claiming.
Despite this, public attitudes indicate support for a fairer approach. The majority (71%) believe claiming benefits should not be shameful, and 79% would encourage a loved one to apply if they needed support.
Lucy Bannister, Head of Policy and Influencing at Turn2us, said: “Our social security system is a vital public service, just like the NHS, that helps us stay afloat when life changes. But right now, people are being treated with suspicion and contempt when they try to access support. A demoralising and infantilising process is reducing confidence and worsening health – making it harder for people to engage productively in employment support or trust assessors.
It is clear that for the government to meet its goals of a more effective and sustainable social security system, their reforms need to prioritise rebuilding trust in DWP and treating people with dignity and respect.”
Sara Davies, Research Co-Director of the Personal Finance Research Centre (PFRC) at the University of Bristol, added: “Our research found further evidence of the stigmatising practices too often used against those who turn to the benefits system for support while trying to manage difficult and complex situations. Many benefit claimants - particularly those with health conditions or disabilities - were greeted with suspicion by the system and did not receive the support that they should, with negative consequences for their wellbeing and financial security. We hope the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) will take these findings, and the recommendations from Turn2us, seriously in shaping reform."
The experience of Alex, a 48-year-old former marketing director from Bristol, brings these figures to life. After being made redundant, he was forced to claim Universal Credit and describes a “hostile and infantilising” system that made him “feel like a criminal” and left him in debt.
Call for Change
Turn2us will be putting these findings to the Minister for Social Security and Disability this weekend at Labour Party Conference.
As the Timms Review begins and the government ongoing reforms to benefits and employment support continue, the charity is calling for the government to focus on building a 21st-century social security system rooted in trust, and for a national reflection on the language and policies that fuel this stigma; laying the groundwork for a system that provides dignity and respect.
Using this research to guide its ongoing strategy, on October 30th Turn2us will deliver practical policy solutions for the government to reform Jobcentres and the PIP assessment to rebuild trust in the DWP and get the system working.
Report
'Stigma in the system: experiences of the UK social security system' by the University of Bristol’s Personal Finance Research Centre, commissioned by Turn2us