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Our evidence briefings highlight research findings and their relevance in key policy areas. The views expressed in the evidence briefings are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the ESRC.
The Institute for Fiscal Studies has analysed the issues and options facing the Government in reducing spending on social security.
Extending the use of conditional welfare has been central to successive UK governments, but it is unclear how much conditionality helps to change and sustain behaviour. Research evidence indicates that benefit sanctions increase the amount of people coming off benefits - but there are negative longer-term outcomes.
Researchers from the Enterprise Research Centre have mapped the level of innovative activity in local areas across the country. Businesses with the highest levels of innovation are located in an arc stretching from Cambridge and Peterborough, through the South East Midlands to Oxfordshire and west along the M4 corridor.
Researchers have investigated how business strategies, regional linkages and policies influence the growth of green goods manufacturing SMEs in the UK, China and the US. UK firms are still struggling to access early-stage finance for innovation and scale-up phases.
Since the introduction of the Children Act 1989 there has been increased pressure on agencies working with children to refer them to social care, but little recognition of the negative impact on families.
The ‘pre-proceedings process’ was introduced to ensure assessments are carried out prior to court proceedings, and to save court resources and complete care proceedings more quickly. Reforms have succeeded in reducing the length of cases, but courts are not taking the pre-proceedings stage into account.
Researchers have analysed the historical evidence of antimicrobial resistance to examine possible scenarios for epidemic outbreaks. Sound public health policies can substantially reduce the impact of antimicrobial resistance – focusing both on the supply pipeline of new drugs and the public consumption of antimicrobials.
Research shows that hospital performance varies widely across a wide range of indicators, but hospital competition can improve management and increase performance in terms of quality, productivity and staff satisfaction.
Research shows no simple link between ‘dangerous’ religious ideas and violent action, but rather a complex combination of social triggers and individual characteristics. More dialogue is needed between policymakers, media and communities to achieve more accurate and nuanced representations of conflicts and violence.
Social media have become a key information source for the public when terror attacks occur. Analysis after the Lee Rigby murder shows important lessons for the police and authorities in taking the heat out of a tense situation and reducing the opportunities for ‘secondary crimes’.
