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Social Security Advisory Committee

The importance of diversity when developing high quality advice

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: About the Committee, Department for Communities (Northern Ireland), DWP, HMRC, Independent advice, Legislation

I joined the Social Security Advisory Committee (SSAC) in January 2025 and it is an extremely rewarding role. We get involved in many aspects of the welfare system, not just scrutinising secondary legislation but receiving updates on various aspects of …

Have you ever wondered how impartial and informed advice makes for better law?

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: About the Committee, Department for Communities (Northern Ireland), DWP, Legislation, social security
Photograph of Professor Stephen Hardy

The Social Security Advisory Committee (SSAC) is an independent statutory body which provides exactly that when it comes to social security and related matters under the remit of the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and the Department for …

Rachel Chiu reflects on the importance of lived experience as she takes up a new role with SSAC

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: About the Committee, Claimants, Consultation, Independent advice, social security, Stakeholders
Social Security Advisory Committee member, Rachel Chiu

I grew up in a first-generation immigrant household, and having experiences of homelessness and disability within our family, we were supported by social security benefits which provided a stepping stone out of poverty, but also demonstrated to me some of …

Les Allamby's early reflections of SSAC...the second time around!

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: About the Committee, Claimants, Consultation, Department for Communities (Northern Ireland), DWP, Independent advice, Legislation, Northern Ireland, Stakeholders
Photograph of Les Allamby, Member of the Social Security Advisory Committee.

I never had a misspent youth. As a student I spent my Saturday mornings volunteering on a Durham market stall containing (then) DHSS[1] leaflets, answering basic queries and offering appointments for more complex issues. Not knowing what I wanted to …

The importance of listening: Dr Suzy Walton reflects on her new role with SSAC

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: About the Committee, Claimants, Contributory benefits, DWP, Independent advice, Public Sector, Stakeholders

“If at first you don’t succeed…” I first applied to join the Social Security Advisory Committee (SSAC) just after my 6th child was born. I was previously a Senior Civil Servant in the Prime Minister’s Strategy Unit and worked on …

My first impressions of SSAC by 'benefits nerd' Daphne Hall

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: About the Committee, Claimants, Independent advice, Legislation, social security, SSAC Independent Work Programme, Stakeholders
Photograph of Daphne Hall, Member of the Social Security Advisory Committee

A bit of a benefits nerd, I’ve been in welfare rights pretty much all my working life. I started as an adviser - first at Citizens Advice in London, moving on to Springfield psychiatric hospital and then Bristol City Council …

Professor Stephen Hardy reflects on joining SSAC with ‘an insider view’

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: About the Committee, DWP, Independent advice, Legislation, social security
Professor Stephen Hardy visiting a Job Centre with SSAC colleague Daphne Hall.

As an academic, researching into employment and social security law, I often found myself looking at the wealth of work undertaken by the Social Security Advisory Committee (SSAC) from the outside. Therefore, when they advertised for new Committee members with legal …

Improving New Style benefits: the Government's response to our recommendations

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: Independent advice, New style ESA, New style JSA, social security

Last year we completed an extensive study into how the two contributory benefits for those of working age who are not in paid work: New Style Jobseeker’s Allowance and New Style Employment and Support Allowance. We found much that works …

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SSAC is an independent statutory body that provides impartial advice on social security and related matters. We scrutinise most of the complex secondary legislation that underpins the social security system.

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