Debt by Design: Universal Credit, Deductions and Administrative Justice

设计债务：普遍信用、扣除和行政司法

• 批准号: 2890265
• 金额: --
• 依托单位: University of York
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Studentship
• 财政年份: 2023
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2023 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=studentship-2890265
• 关键词: Debt; Design; Universal; Credit; Deductions

Project overviewIn the UK, the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) may reclaim a claimant's debtthrough a 'deductions' scheme. Debt can be incurred for a number of reasons, such asoverpayment by the DWP, or falling behind on money owed to third parties (e.g. fuel bills,rent or council tax). Under the 'deductions' scheme, weekly Universal Credit payments maybe reduced by up to 25% of the standard allowance. Here, claimants' income may fall belowsubsistence levels, creating a profound impact on their day-to-day lives.Indeed, the UK'slargest food bank operator found that nearly half of those referred to food banks are in debtto the DWP (Trussel Trust, 2022).Whilst also somewhat politically problematic, there is also anecdotal evidence that the DWPdecision-making falls below the standards of lawful administration. As such, the deductionsscheme engages with questions of 'administrative justice': whether governmental agenciesare lawfully implementing the law. Accordingly, this research project will examine both thelived experiences of DWP debt and critically assess deductions practices through the lens ofadministrative justice. In collaboration with legal NGO,. the Public Law Project, it will use thisanalysis to critically assess DWP decision-making practices around deductions and toground policy advocacy work and effect change.Therefore, this project fits within the Security, Conflict and Justice pathway. It addresses thepathway's focus on the challenge of social deprivation. More generally, it engages squarelywith questions of justice, focusing specifically on the administrative justice of deductionsdecision-making. 'Administrative justice' concerns both the legal requirements of governmentadministration, and the means by which injustice can be legally challenged. This project thusconnects injustice and conflict, aiming to reduce both.Research MethodsThe research project will comprise four main elements. First, it will undertake legal analysisof the deductions scheme; this involves a doctrinal analysis of the relevant legislation, caselaw, and applying human rights law to deductions outcomes. Second, it will undertakesemi-structured interviews with welfare benefits advisers, to understand common problemsin decision-making, how advisers respond to these, and what administrative justice issuesmay arise. Access to such participants will be negotiated via the project partner, the PublicLaw Project. Third, it will undertake interviews with claimants who have experienceddeductions, to understand: the circumstances leading up to the deduction; their experiencesof the process; and, the impact of the deductions on their ongoing welfare.Fourth, with theassistance of the Public Law Project, the researcher will interrogate their analysis for thepurposes of policy advocacy.Qualitative fieldwork raises a number of ethical issues. First, informed consent; participantsmust fully understand the research aims, what participation entails, and their ability towithdraw at any point. Second, when researching claimants, some participants may bevulnerable. Accordingly, care must be taken to anticipate and minimise the possibility thatdiscussing their circumstances may cause upset. Third, the issue of confidentiality is vital.FInally, there is the issue of data management and security. No fieldwork will take place untilappropriate ethical clearance has been given by the University's ethics committee.

项目概述在英国，工作和养老金部门(DWP)可以通过一项“扣除额”计划来收回索赔人的债务。产生债务的原因有很多，例如：多付了工资费，或拖欠第三方的钱(如燃料费、房租或市政税)。在“扣减”计划下，每周的通用信用额度最高可减少标准津贴的25%。在这里，索赔人的收入可能会降至最低生活水平，对他们的日常生活产生深远的影响。事实上，英国最大的食品银行运营商发现，近一半被转介到食品银行的人欠了DWP的债务(Trussel Trust，2022)。虽然也存在一些政治问题，但也有坊间证据表明，DWP的决策低于合法管理的标准。因此，这项扣减计划涉及“行政正义”的问题：政府机构是否合法地执行法律。因此，本研究项目将通过行政司法的视角，审查DWP债务的经验，并批判性地评估扣减做法。与法律非政府组织合作。公法项目，它将利用这一分析来批判性地评估DWP围绕扣减的决策实践，并落实政策倡导工作和影响变化。因此，该项目符合安全、冲突和正义的道路。它阐述了该途径对社会剥夺挑战的关注。更广泛地说，它直接涉及正义问题，特别关注扣减决策的行政正义。“行政正义”既涉及政府行政的法律要求，也涉及对不公正提出法律挑战的手段。这个项目将不公正和冲突联系在一起，旨在减少两者。研究方法本研究项目将包括四个主要要素。首先，它将对扣除额计划进行法律分析；这涉及到对相关立法、判例法的理论分析，以及对扣除额结果适用人权法。其次，它将与福利顾问进行半结构化访谈，以了解决策中常见的问题，顾问如何应对这些问题，以及可能出现的行政司法问题。与这类参与者的接触将通过项目伙伴--公共法律项目进行谈判。第三，它将与经历过扣减的索赔人进行面谈，以了解导致扣减的情况；他们在扣减过程中的经历；以及扣减对他们目前福利的影响。第四，在公法项目的帮助下，研究人员将询问他们的分析，以便进行政策倡导。合格的实地调查工作提出了一些伦理问题。首先，知情同意；参与者必须充分了解研究的目的、参与需要什么，以及他们在任何时候抽签的能力。其次，在研究索赔人时，一些参与者可能是脆弱的。因此，必须注意预测并尽量减少讨论他们的情况可能导致不安的可能性。第三，保密问题非常重要。最后，还有数据管理和安全问题。在大学伦理委员会给予适当的伦理许可之前，不会进行实地考察。