Understanding welfare conditionality in the context of a generational habitus: A qualitative study of older citizens in England

TY - JOUR

T1 - Understanding welfare conditionality in the context of a generational habitus

T2 - A qualitative study of older citizens in England

AU - Milton, Sarah

AU - Buckner, Stefanie

AU - Salway, Sarah

AU - Powell, Katie

AU - Moffatt, Suzanne

AU - Green, Judith

PY - 2015/8/1

Y1 - 2015/8/1

N2 - In many welfare states, 'austerity' policies have ignited debates about the fairness and cost-effectiveness of universal welfare benefits, with benefits received by older citizens a particular topic of concern. Empirical studies suggest that conditionality generates problems of access and uptake but, to date, there has been little research on how different conditions of entitlement are understood by older citizens. This study drew on interviews with 29 older citizens from three areas of England to explore how eligibility for and uptake of different kinds of welfare benefits were understood. In interviews, current entitlement was understood in relation to a generational habitus, in which 'our generation' was framed as sharing cohort experiences, and moral orientations to self-reliance, hard work and struggle. Entitlement to some welfare benefits was taken for granted as a reward owed by the state to its citizens for hard-earned lives. State transfers such as pensions, free travel and fuel subsidies were congruent with a nationalised generational habitus, and fostered recognition, self-worth and the sense of a generation as a collective. In contrast, transfers contingent on economic or need-based conditionality were more explicitly framed as 'benefits', and negatively associated with vulnerability and moral contestation. Uptake was therefore often incompatible with their generational habitus. Calls for introducing further conditionality to benefits for older adults are often based on claims that this will increase fairness and equality. Our analysis suggests, however, that introducing conditionality has the potential to promote inequality and foster differentiation and division, within the older population and between generations.

AB - In many welfare states, 'austerity' policies have ignited debates about the fairness and cost-effectiveness of universal welfare benefits, with benefits received by older citizens a particular topic of concern. Empirical studies suggest that conditionality generates problems of access and uptake but, to date, there has been little research on how different conditions of entitlement are understood by older citizens. This study drew on interviews with 29 older citizens from three areas of England to explore how eligibility for and uptake of different kinds of welfare benefits were understood. In interviews, current entitlement was understood in relation to a generational habitus, in which 'our generation' was framed as sharing cohort experiences, and moral orientations to self-reliance, hard work and struggle. Entitlement to some welfare benefits was taken for granted as a reward owed by the state to its citizens for hard-earned lives. State transfers such as pensions, free travel and fuel subsidies were congruent with a nationalised generational habitus, and fostered recognition, self-worth and the sense of a generation as a collective. In contrast, transfers contingent on economic or need-based conditionality were more explicitly framed as 'benefits', and negatively associated with vulnerability and moral contestation. Uptake was therefore often incompatible with their generational habitus. Calls for introducing further conditionality to benefits for older adults are often based on claims that this will increase fairness and equality. Our analysis suggests, however, that introducing conditionality has the potential to promote inequality and foster differentiation and division, within the older population and between generations.

KW - Class

KW - Conditionality

KW - Entitlement

KW - Generation

KW - Generational habitus

KW - Welfare

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84935009333&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.jaging.2015.06.002

DO - 10.1016/j.jaging.2015.06.002

M3 - Article

C2 - 26162731

AN - SCOPUS:84935009333

SN - 0890-4065

VL - 34

SP - 113

EP - 122

JO - JOURNAL OF AGING STUDIES

JF - JOURNAL OF AGING STUDIES

ER -