In-work poverty and the living wage in the United Kingdom: a geographical perspective

This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Wiley via the DOI in this recordDrawing on new empirical data from the UK, this paper takes a geographical perspective on the living wage. It highlights the extent to which the living wage is a geographical intervention to tackle in-work poverty that reflects the cost of living and social reproduction in a particular geographical area, aiming to set a new minimum across the labour market. The paper further argues that there is a scalar geography to understanding the impact of the campaign and the arguments made to defend it. Whereas the living wage has major cost implications for the particular employers and clients affected – increasing wages by approximately 30 per cent above the national minimum wage – it also has the potential to reduce costs across the wider society. There is thus a scalar dimension to making the argument for a living wage that can help to inform the future direction of the campaign. The paper concludes by raising some wider questions about the contribution that geographers can make to the study and alleviation of poverty.We are very grateful to Trust for London for fundin

The London living wage and in-work poverty reduction: Impacts on employers and workers

This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from SAGE Publications via the DOI in this recordIn the UK, a campaign for the living wage has emerged as a civil society initiative to reduce in-work poverty. This article reports empirical evidence from a study of employers adopting the London Living Wage and the benefits from this intervention, as reported by their workers. Implementation strategies to cover higher wage costs varied, from clients meeting full costs, to reduced employer profit, to reductions in hours and employment. There were strong substitution effects from low to higher qualified workers. The evidence suggests that while there were worker benefits from the living wage, they were not automatic, as higher wage rates did not necessarily translate into higher incomes due to variations in hours of work. Workers reported more in-work benefits, than family or financial benefits. In-work poverty reduction was limited by large concentrations of part-time living wage jobs with few hours, small income increases and the rising costs of living.The author(s) received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.This research was partly funded by Trust for Londo

Are low-intensity CBT interventions effective and meaningful for the Latino community in the UK?

In the UK, low-intensity cognitive-behavioural therapy (LICBT) is offered as cost-effective intervention for anxiety and depression in primary care. Whilst research with Latino migrants in the USA highlights the suitability of CBT interventions with this group, these findings may not be generalisable to the UK, due to different sociopolitical circumstances. This mixed-method study explores the effectiveness and meaning of an LICBT group-intervention for Latino migrants in London. Eight participants attended a four-week workshop on anxiety management in Spanish, and pre- and post-intervention scores in CORE-OM, PHQ-9 and GAD-7 were compared. Additionally, focus groups about the intervention were thematically analysed. Although not statistically significant, a trend towards decreasing anxiety levels was identified (p = 0.06). Three of the four themes generated from participants' analysis of their experience are summarised and discussed. These include positive aspects of the intervention and its limitations. Whilst valuing LICBT interventions, participants considered further input necessary. Potential clinical implications as well as recommendations for further research are discussed

Accessibility measures compared in an analysis of the impact of the M25 London Orbital Motorway on Britain

A number of established methods exist for measuring levels of accessibility over space. Most notable are those based on market potential and access cost. This research is concerned with the comparison of these methods and the results that they produce in a particular empirical context. Accessibility costs for HGVs by road are measured for 1980s Britain with special reference to the M25 London Orbital Motorway. Specific calculations are made for accessibility which include and exclude the road and are dependent on an exogenously derived route minimisation procedure. These are assumed to represent the postroad and preroad situations, respectively. The findings point to significant differences in the results depending on the method chosen. This is contrary to previous research in the field.

Civil society responses to poverty reduction strategies in Nicaragua

Article based on a presentation by Bradshaw as an invited speaker at the conference ‘Poverty in a Globalising World: Debating theory and practice' hosted by the Developing Areas Research Group of the Royal Geographical Society. This paper considers the recent experience of civil society organizations in Nicaragua within the Poverty Reduction Strategies Papers (PRSP) process. The focus of the paper is not the poverty reduction strategy itself but rather civil society responses to this initiative in Nicaragua. It highlights the problems beginning to emerge within this process in relation to the World Bank-IMF, the national government and organized civil society. Fundamental to the conceptualization and design of PRSP is the idea of ‘national ownership’ facilitated by wide consultation and participation of civil society in the formulation and evaluation of individual country strategies. This paper uses Nicaragua’s PRSP process to examine the extent to which organized civil society can really influence PRSP formulation. It highlights the differences that exist in how poverty is defined and discussed by the key actors and examines civil society’s response to government proposals and the strategies they have adopted to promote an ‘alternative’ people-centred development perspective