ESRC Centre for Care

Centre for Care Summer School 2026 The Centre for Care Summer School is a week-long residential programme in Sheffield in September 2026, for students whose PhD studies align with the themes and research of the Centre for Care.

The Centre for Care Summer School 2026 applications deadline has been extended to Wednesday 11th March!

Please share this fantastic opportunity with your networks and follow this link for more information: centreforcare.ac.uk/updates/2026...

2nd QAR-Net Care Workshop Round Up - “Care and Inequality: Bridging Research and Practice” On 15th and 16th December 2025, a growing community of quantitative care researchers convened in Sheffield for the second QAR-Net Care workshop.

Congratulations to the Quantitative Analysis and Research Network for Care (QAR-Net Care) on a successful second workshop!

We are very proud to support this network and look forward to seeing what comes next.

centreforcare.ac.uk/commentary/2...

@centreforcare.bsky.social has published their new report: 'Towards a Better Future for Care' which showcases the Centre’s achievements - from shaping policy & improving care practice, to closing data gaps, advancing care research, and strengthening public understanding of care.

👉 buff.ly/OBiSm76

Centre for Care Summer School 2026 The Centre for Care Summer School is a week-long residential programme in Sheffield in September 2026, for students whose PhD studies align with the themes and research of the Centre for Care.

Applications for the Centre for Care Summer School in Sheffield are now open!

Follow this link for more details and to apply, please share with your networks:

centreforcare.ac.uk/updates/2026...

#phd #research #summerschool

Text: “Discover the Centre for Care’s impact, Our new interactive report showcases a selection of the achievements, policy influence and the real-world difference our research has made during Phase 1 (2021–25). And we share what’s coming next.”

We are proud to launch our new interactive report, detailing the impact of the Centre for Care during our first four years and setting out our ambitious roadmap for the future of our centre.

Follow this link to learn more: centreforcare.ac.uk/impact-and-p...

#towardsabetterfutureforcare

Government’s top welfare official to step down Peter Schofield’s departure for personal reasons comes after weeks of fierce criticism of DWP over carer’s allowance scandal

www.theguardian.com/society/2026...

Today we have announced our 2026-27 project list. We will be running a record ten Demonstrators, eight Facilitator projects and six Networks.

Projects were chosen following an open call for applications at the end of 2025, and will launch this September.

Find the full list here: lnkd.in/eYZXPQJ4

Families of children with cancer to have travel costs covered The government sets aside £10 million a year to help families and young people under 24 access cancer treatment.

The costs of caring for a loved one can push #unpaidcarers into poverty.

Families of children diagnosed with cancer will have the cost of travelling for treatment covered under a new scheme to be rolled out in England by 2027.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Influencing better policy and practice nationally - SCIE

Today, we have published our brand new report: www.scie.org.uk/consultancy/...
 
At our launch event in Westminster, we’ll explore the future of social care reform with people who draw on care and support, carers, commissioners, providers, system leaders and MPs.

Why we updated our co-production payment rates (and what it means): a shared reflection Robert Walker and PJ Annand explore how lived experience in care research is valued and recognised, and why this has led to a change in the Centre for Care’s payment policy.

Why we updated our co-production payment rates (and what it means): a shared reflection
Rob Walker & @pjcreates.bsky.social explore how #livedexperience in care research is valued & recognised & why this has led to a change in the Centre for Care’s payment policy.
centreforcare.ac.uk/updates/2026...

Pensions and a fair future for care workers - Transforming Society The article argues that improving pensions is essential if reforms to adult social care work are to genuinely address inequality, retention and job quality.

'Pensions and a fair future for care workers'

The Employment Rights Bill heralds change for Adult Social Care workers, but are we ignoring the "pension problem"?

Read this new article by @duncfsh.bsky.social and Liam Foster:
www.transformingsociety.co.uk/2026/01/09/p...

#careworkers #socialcare

Care, migration and social research in a new context: How my academic visit to Australia is shaping my thesis Ella Monkcom writes about connecting with experienced researchers on a recent trip to Australia, providing her with conceptual and empirical insights which will impact her thesis.

in a new commentary, Ella Monkcom writes about connecting with experienced researchers on a recent trip to Australia, providing her with conceptual and empirical insights which will impact her #thesis.

centreforcare.ac.uk/commentary/2...

Seminar: Care and Place: older people’s housing and communities and their social care needs, care use, and care costs We are delighted to virtually welcome Dr. Nicola Brimblecombe to present 'Care and Place: older people’s housing and communities and their social care needs, care use, and care costs'.

We are delighted to virtually welcome Dr. Nicola Brimblecombe from @cpeclse.bsky.social to present 'Care and Place: older people’s housing and communities and their social care needs, care use, and care costs' on 13th Jan!
Follow this link to register your place: centreforcare.ac.uk/updates/2026...

Some good work news against the backdrop of a grim start to 2026: new article in Sociological Research Online by myself and Liam Foster on independent union organising of paid care workers @centreforcare.bsky.social @sagepub.com @socresonline.bsky.social

Social care charging – is it worth it? In this commentary Community Associates and Catherine Needham reflect on the process of working together, as we design and run a scoping project around the charges that disabled people in England pay ...

A new project by the Centre for Care and our Community Associates highlights concerns about the poorly understood charges disabled people pay towards non-residential social care in England:
centreforcare.ac.uk/updates/2025...

#coproduction #socialcare @catherineneedham.bsky.social

➡️ reflections on research undertaken with the Local Government Information Unit on Scotland’s proposed #NationalCareService
➡️ An exploration of a Care Ecosystem
➡️ We hear about future plans for the research theme as Catherine and Emily continue to “watch the ripples” working with our other teams.

CARE MATTERS podcast: Care Ecosystem: Research update and next steps In the episode of the Care Matters podcast Professor Catherine Needham and Dr. Emily Burn update us on the progress so far in their cross-cutting research theme at the Centre for Care, and look at wha...

New Care Matters podcast episode! 🎙️

In 'Care Ecosystem: Research update and next steps', Centre for Care colleagues @catherineneedham.bsky.social & Emily Burn update on progress in their cross-cutting research theme & look to the future of this research: centreforcare.ac.uk/updates/2025...

Seminar: Professor Catherine Needham and Dr. Emily Burns We are delighted to virtually welcome Professor Catherine Needham and Dr. Emily Burns to present as part of our Seminar Series.

New event! We are delighted to welcome Professor @catherineneedham.bsky.social & Dr. Emily Burn from University of Birmingham to present:

Improving outcomes in homecare: Is patch-based commissioning the answer?

🗓️ 16th December 2025
🕙 Time: 12:30-13:30pm UK time

centreforcare.ac.uk/updates/2025...

It is time to reform a benefit that has been largely untouched since 1976. This is about social justice and economic reality.

@alisonebennett.bsky.social

➡️ Protect Carers from PIP Changes: We must ensure the Timms Review of PIP takes into account its impact on carers, as tightening PIP eligibility could strip half a million carers of their associated Carer's Allowance.

➡️ Change the Administration Culture: A fundamental shift is needed to focus on changing the culture of benefits administration, particularly to provide better support for vulnerable claimants.

➡️ Simplify Benefit Interactions: The complexity and often unfairness of interactions between different benefits make the system nearly impossible to navigate without professional advice. We need a simpler, more cohesive approach.

➡️ Abolish the Earnings Barrier: To truly support carers in juggling paid employment, there is a strong case for significantly increasing or even abolishing the earnings threshold entirely.

➡️ Address Inadequate Pay: The weekly amount of Carer’s Allowance (£83.30) is grossly inadequate. It fails to partially replace lost wages, cover the additional costs of caring, or recognise the value of the caring role.

As our research at the Centre for Care indicates, the allowance is outdated, fundamentally at odds with the act of caring, and undervalues this crucial role in society. Our Case for Change calls on the Government to turn its attention to five key areas that require urgent, systemic reform...

The Independent Review of Carer's Allowance Overpayments: A Welcome Step Towards Wider Reform of Welfare Benefits for Carers Becky Driscoll and Kate Hamblin comment on the report from the Independent Review of Carer’s Allowance Overpayments inquiry and the Government’s response.

New on our website today, Becky Driscoll and Kate Hamblin explore the key recommendations of the Independent Review of Carer’s Allowance Overpayments, led by Liz Sayce OBE:

centreforcare.ac.uk/commentary/2...

#carersallowance #unpaidcarers

Join an interdisciplinary team on a new project on food support in adult social care, funded by the @nihrsscr.bsky.social

jobsite.sheffield.ac.uk/job/Research...

#researchjobs @sheffielduni.bsky.social

🚨 The University of Sheffield is looking for a Research Associate to join their team on a new project on food support in adult social care, funded by the @nihr.bsky.social School for Social Care Research.

The closing date is 1st December! Please share:
jobsite.sheffield.ac.uk/job/Research...

60th Anniversary: Happy Birthday to Carers UK and to the global carers’ movement Professor Sue Yeandle OBE looks back on the global carers' movement on Carers UK's 60th Anniversary.

Professor Sue Yeandle OBE looks back on the global carers' movement on @carers-uk.bsky.social 's 60th Anniversary:

centreforcare.ac.uk/commentary/2...

@emilyholzhausen.bsky.social @johnperryman.bsky.social

#carersrightsday #carersrightsday #carers #carersrightsday2025 #unpaidcarers | Centre for Care Anna Dixon MP led a debate today in the House of Commons on ‘Inequalities faced by unpaid carers’ for #CarersRightsDay. In her opening statement, and throughout the debate, there was reference to th...

We've put together some highlights from @annadixonmp.bsky.social's debate this afternoon on ‘Inequalities faced by unpaid carers’ for #CarersRightsDay.

www.linkedin.com/feed/update/...

featuring @wendychambld.bsky.social & @alisonebennett.bsky.social

an important debate on an important day!