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Beth Watts-Cobbe @bethwcobbe.bsky.social · 15d

A shelter-free response to homelessness is necessary for justice, & is possible, as demonstrated in Scotland from 2020-2024. Read @i-sphere.bsky.social's new paper in @ijohjournal.bsky.social here at the link above. Please share with others who may be interested! Thanks.

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Beth Watts-Cobbe @bethwcobbe.bsky.social · 15d

Dormitory-style night shelters tackling street homelessness are harmful. At best, they protect an already very disadvantaged group from some harms, while generating & deepening manifold others. Nor do they reliably lead to sustainable rehousing... ojs.lib.uwo.ca/index.php/ij...

Beyond Shelters: Unpacking Global Lessons from Scotland’s Journey Towards Housing Justice | International Journal on Homelessness

ojs.lib.uwo.ca

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Beth Watts-Cobbe @bethwcobbe.bsky.social · 22d

Really pleased to see this from SMF, showing the role that Housing First needs to play in finally, sustainably, turning the tide on rough sleeping in England. I hope those working on the *much anticipated* cross-government homelessness strategy are taking note.

Social Market Foundation @smfthinktank.bsky.social · 23d

When did Government stop caring about rough sleeping?

In his latest briefing, @gideonsalutin.bsky.social argues for a proven approach that cuts homelessness and generates nearly £200m in net fiscal benefits. 💡

🧵What is it—and does it work?

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Beth Watts-Cobbe @bethwcobbe.bsky.social · Aug 5

Ugh.

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Beth Watts-Cobbe @bethwcobbe.bsky.social · Jul 26

Wall to wall dads (except me) at the toddler trampolining session this morning, and absolutely no mystery to me why. Jeez!

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Reposted by Beth Watts-Cobbe

Prof Ruth Patrick @ruthpatrick0.bsky.social · Jul 11

Some heatwave weekend reading on why devolution needs to be talked about more in connection with the disability social security cuts.

@lsepoliticsblog.bsky.social blog w/ @safety-nets.bsky.social colleagues @haylesben.bsky.social @sionedps.bsky.social

blogs.lse.ac.uk/politicsandp...

Labour’s social security reforms ignore devolution - British Politics and Policy at LSE

The Goverment's social security reforms ignore the fact that they will have different consequences depending on which part of the UK one lives in.

blogs.lse.ac.uk

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Reposted by Beth Watts-Cobbe

Big Issue @bigissue.com · Jul 11

The trial 56-day 'move-on' period for newly-recognised refugees to find somewhere to live has been extended, the government has confirmed.

Home Office extends 56-day 'move-on' period for refugees

www.bigissue.com

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Reposted by Beth Watts-Cobbe

Heriot-Watt News @heriotwattnews.bsky.social · Jul 11

Groundbreaking new research by @i-sphere.bsky.social finds Black families have to disguise their identities to avoid #discrimination in housing, employment & essential services

More here: tinyurl.com/2etwp8ny

#HeriotWattUni #Homelessness
@raceontheagenda.bsky.social @crisis-uk.bsky.social ‬

Black and minoritised people feel forced to disguise their identities

Race, Ethnicity and Homelessness research by I-SPHERE at Heriot-Watt University finds Black homeless families feel forced to disguise their identities

tinyurl.com

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Reposted by Beth Watts-Cobbe

I-SPHERE @i-sphere.bsky.social · Jul 11

𝗥𝗮𝗰𝗲, 𝗘𝘁𝗵𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗛𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗨𝗞
An analysis of 750,000 household records from the statutory homelessness system reveals that only 10% of Black families gained social housing compared to 24% of White families. doi.org/10.17861/D78...
@raceontheagenda.bsky.social @crisis-uk.bsky.social

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Beth Watts-Cobbe @bethwcobbe.bsky.social · Jul 1

Sad news indeed

Alison Wallace @alisonwyork.bsky.social · Jul 1

The closing of Abrdn’s Fair Finance Trust is grim news. I had funding from them into shared ownership and found them all staff great to work with. Big loss to difficult social policy research funding landscape. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

To all who think capitalism can drive progressive change, it won’t – and here’s the shocking proof | Polly Toynbee

Asset manager Aberdeen’s surprise cut to funding research into inequality has left those that used its grants for good work reeling, says Guardian columnist Polly Toynbee

www.theguardian.com

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Beth Watts-Cobbe @bethwcobbe.bsky.social · Jun 25

She has always been a friend, ally and frequent collaborator with @i-sphere.bsky.social, but now she's formally one of us (no escape!). You can watch her powerful laureation speech c. 30 mins in here: www.youtube.com/live/3fOas1a...

TitleHeriot-Watt University Graduations Summer 2025 (Friday 20th June, 1pm)

YouTube video by Heriot-Watt University

www.youtube.com

Beth Watts-Cobbe @bethwcobbe.bsky.social · Jun 25

It was a real pleasure to be able to mark and celebrate Maggie Brunjes - the inimitable, legendary Chief Executive of Homeless Network Scotland - receiving an honorary doctorate from @heriotwattuni.bsky.social last week. Congratulations Maggie on all of your achievements.

Dr Maggie Brunjes, Professor Suzanne Fitzpatrick, Professor Beth Watts-Cobbe, Janice Higgins and Jackie Erdman pictured to mark Maggie's honorary doctorate bestowed by Heriot-Watt University.

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Beth Watts-Cobbe @bethwcobbe.bsky.social · Jun 11

Loki is giving military leader vibes today.

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Reposted by Beth Watts-Cobbe

Resolution Foundation @resfoundation.bsky.social · May 29

Free School Meals support in the holidays is now the largest category of Household Support Fund expenditure.

This is arguably not an ideal use of what is supposed to be crisis support funding and would be better covered by an increased Free School Meals budget instead.

Chart showing Proportion of Household Support Fund expenditure by type of support and HSF wave: England, 2022-23 to 2023-24.

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Beth Watts-Cobbe @bethwcobbe.bsky.social · May 29

Love this - a really useful framing to help bolster the normative underpinnings of the social security system and employment support.

Annie Irvine @annieirvine.bsky.social · May 28

I've been thinking for a while that we should be talking more about the "social determinants of work". David Kingsley has got there first; great piece naming "the social determinants of employability" - housing insecurity, digital exclusion, mental health, access to care www.myiep.uk/blogs-and-op...

Detached but Not Disengaged: Reframing Employability Practice Through Community-Rooted Youth Work - The Institute of Employability Professionals

28/05/2025

www.myiep.uk

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Beth Watts-Cobbe @bethwcobbe.bsky.social · May 16

Here you go: 1) www.jrf.org.uk/deep-poverty... and 2) researchportal.hw.ac.uk/en/publicati...

Destitution in the UK 2023

This study, the fourth in the Destitution in the UK series, reveals approximately 3.8 million people experienced destitution in 2022, including around 1 million children. There is an urgent need for a...

www.jrf.org.uk

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Reposted by Beth Watts-Cobbe

Beth Watts-Cobbe @bethwcobbe.bsky.social · May 14

Please join us on 20th May for our next @i-sphere.bsky.social /Centre for Homelessness & Inclusion Health webinar with @popmhuk.bsky.social's Natasha Chilman on The public health significance of prior homelessness: findings on multimorbidity & mental health from a nationally representative survey...

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Beth Watts-Cobbe @bethwcobbe.bsky.social · May 14

All welcome. Time: 11:00 am - 12:15 pm. Sign up here: i-sphere.site.hw.ac.uk/seminars/

This link will take you to a page that’s not on LinkedIn

lnkd.in

Beth Watts-Cobbe @bethwcobbe.bsky.social · May 14

Please join us on 20th May for our next @i-sphere.bsky.social /Centre for Homelessness & Inclusion Health webinar with @popmhuk.bsky.social's Natasha Chilman on The public health significance of prior homelessness: findings on multimorbidity & mental health from a nationally representative survey...

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Beth Watts-Cobbe @bethwcobbe.bsky.social · May 14

Oh ye gods, no! We just watched the gamer one with the chip in the neck and the scary house.

Beth Watts-Cobbe @bethwcobbe.bsky.social · May 13

In a long held tradition of watching zeitgeist TV shows years after their release, the time has come to watch Black Mirror…

What the actual *^%>?!

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Beth Watts-Cobbe @bethwcobbe.bsky.social · May 3

My daughter, 3, to our friend: “can I come to your house and see your mess?”

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Reposted by Beth Watts-Cobbe

Jo Wolff @jowolff.bsky.social · May 2

Of course I’d rather Labour had won the by-election and losing by six votes is astonishing.

But I hope Starmer takes the message that Reform are better at being Reform than Labour, and Labour’s best bet is to go back to being Labour.

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Beth Watts-Cobbe @bethwcobbe.bsky.social · May 2

Another dark day in UK politics. Devastating.

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Beth Watts-Cobbe @bethwcobbe.bsky.social · Apr 25

Lovely to end the week with this dropping onto the doormat. A real pleasure to be part of this collection with @lynnemcmordie.bsky.social, and a tiny part of a wider and brilliant flurry of work on structural injustice and Iris Marion Young’s ideas. Thanks @vmantouvalou.bsky.social!

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