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What will ‘taking back control’ mean for social policy in the UK? Brexit, public services and social rights

Author

Listed:
  • Stewart, Kitty
  • Cooper, Kerris
  • Shutes, Isabel

Abstract

While social policy falls predominantly under national rather than European Union (EU) jurisdiction, there are nonetheless multiple ways in which social policy and social outcomes in EU member states have been affected by EU membership. This paper draws on existing evidence and analysis to review the consequences for UK social policy of the decision to leave the EU. We focus predominantly on the implications of the British government’s pledge to ‘take back control’ of money, borders and laws. Our conclusion is that Brexit is likely to have negative effects on the quality of public services and, for some groups in particular, social rights, and that these effects are likely to be greater the more distant are the future trading and wider relationships between the UK and the EU27.

Suggested Citation

  • Stewart, Kitty & Cooper, Kerris & Shutes, Isabel, 2020. "What will ‘taking back control’ mean for social policy in the UK? Brexit, public services and social rights," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 105183, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    • Handle: RePEc:ehl:lserod:105183
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    File URL: https://researchonline.lse.ac.uk/id/eprint/105183/
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Ellie Benton & Anne Power, 2021. "CASE Annual Report 2020," CASE Reports casereport136, Centre for Analysis of Social Exclusion, LSE.

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    JEL classification:

    • E6 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook

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