A new study by Bangor University uncovers the significant role social networks play in addressing social welfare issues, yet exposes ongoing challenges in ensuring effective support through formal services. The research reveals stark contrasts between rural and urban communities and the critical need for local, culturally sensitive support.
Social networks play a crucial role in helping individuals tackle social welfare issues, but they are not a catch-all solution, according to new research led by Sarah Nason, a senior lecturer in administrative law and jurisprudence at Bangor University’s School of History, Law and Social Sciences. The study, which examined four diverse areas across England and Wales, underscores the importance of providing local, culturally sensitive support.
“Debt, benefits, special educational needs, healthcare issues — these are everyday problems that many of us face, and it’s only natural to turn to people you know and trust for help and advice,” Nason said in a news release. “However, we found that having to talk to more people or support services was an indicator that the problem was more complex and difficult to resolve.”
The research team focused on Bryngwran in North Wales, Deeplish in Greater Manchester, Dartmouth in Devon, and three wards in Hackney, London. Through interviews with 191 individuals, the team mapped out each person’s social connections and who they might turn to for social welfare issues. They also evaluated the connectivity within these networks.
The results revealed that rural areas like Devon and North Wales possessed larger, more interconnected social networks compared to urban locations. Interestingly, in Deeplish, strong family ties within the primarily South Asian community resulted in well-connected but smaller networks. Ethnic background and identity significantly influenced network size and interconnectedness.
“Our research isn’t intended to be statistically representative of the case study areas, as we only spoke to a relatively small group of people in each community,” Nason added. “However, from those interviews and from our analysis, location and ethnicity appear to be important factors in understanding how people relate to their community and access support. This highlights how important it is to provide local, community-based and culturally sensitive support and advice rather than ‘one size fits all’ services at a national level.”
Despite variations in network size and connectivity, the research found that these factors had a limited impact on the resolution of social welfare problems. The nature of the issue itself was the most significant determinant. Formal advice services proved more effective in addressing financial and welfare benefit challenges compared to housing, social care, special educational needs or mental health services.
“There are well-established processes for dealing with welfare disputes or debt, and although these can be daunting, with the right support and advice these issues generally get resolved,” added Nason. “However, it’s noticeable that the problems which were least likely to be resolved relate to local authority services, which have seen substantial budget cuts over recent decades, and where services are stretched to the point of failure. Stronger social networks and more support and advice can’t completely compensate for this lack of investment in public services.”
The study additionally noted various barriers impeding people’s ability to seek help, including a lack of awareness about rights, shame and mistrust of formal institutions — each varying significantly by location.
Local community hubs emerged as critical lifelines, providing essential services like food banks and social welfare advice. However, these hubs are under-resourced and cannot fully substitute for formal legal advice.
“Across all the communities we studied, the local hubs or centers were really valued by people, providing day-to-day support such as food banks,” Nason added. “However, some problems that people face need specialist legal advice, and these community centres rely on being able to signpost people on to more formal services. Without proper funding for the formal advice sector, problems continue. Communities may be able to access help, but there won’t be access to justice.”
This study highlights the intricate balance between informal support networks and the necessity for robust, accessible formal services to address complex social welfare issues adequately.