Article

Housing and Papering Over the Cracks of the Welfare State: Exploring the Role and Impact of Technology as Part of Housing Service Provision in an Era of Multi-level Precarity

Details

Citation

McCall V, Rolfe S, Gibson G, Serpa R & Lawrence J (2024) Housing and Papering Over the Cracks of the Welfare State: Exploring the Role and Impact of Technology as Part of Housing Service Provision in an Era of Multi-level Precarity. Social Policy and Society. https://doi.org/10.1017/s147474642400040x

Abstract
The UK welfare landscape is increasingly challenging due to ongoing austerity involving public sector cuts, service retrenchment, and withdrawal of statutory responsibilities. This article shows that as the welfare state contracts, precarity increases and responsibility for service provision is progressively devolved to front-line individuals and service users. To illustrate, the article examines the use of assistive and everyday technologies to improve social housing residents’ quality of life based on a longitudinal mixed methods study conducted between 2020 and 2022. The findings highlight how housing providers can support person-led technology interventions for older residents, where minor improvements positively impact day-to-day living. However, interventions are often limited by practicalities, capacity, and cost. This article connects technological engagement in housing to the ongoing ‘responsibilisation’ of many areas of housing provision to social landlords and tenants. This suggests an extension of responsibility where social housing providers are papering over the cracks in the welfare state.

Keywords
Responsibilisation; supported housing; retrenchment; assistive technology; austerity

Journal
Social Policy and Society

StatusIn Press
FundersLongleigh Foundation
Publication date online30/09/2024
Date accepted by journal11/01/2024
URLhttp://hdl.handle.net/1893/36369
PublisherCambridge University Press (CUP)
ISSN1474-7464
eISSN1475-3073

People (5)

Dr Grant Gibson

Dr Grant Gibson

Senior Lecturer, Dementia and Ageing

Mrs Julia Lawrence

Mrs Julia Lawrence

Project Coordinator, Faculty of Social Sciences

Professor Vikki McCall

Professor Vikki McCall

Professor of Social Policy, Housing Studies

Dr Steve Rolfe

Dr Steve Rolfe

Lecturer in Social Policy, Sociology, Social Policy & Criminology

Dr Regina Serpa

Dr Regina Serpa

Lecturer in Housing, Sociology, Social Policy & Criminology

Projects (1)