Qualitative research stresses the social context of welfare reform, but this complexity has been ignored by policy makers.

Welfare reform and the implementation of Universal Credit has been met with a high degree of scepticism, not least because previous research highlights the many flaws in the system. Fran Bennett looks at why, in this case, it has been hard to influence policy makers in terms of shaping the government’s proposals. While the usual pitfalls of pre-conceived government objectives and assumptions are clearly at work, there may also be the problem of qualitative findings in general not carrying much weight

The ‘living wage’, low pay and in work poverty: Exploring the difficult to resolve conceptual and pragmatic issues around the ‘living wage’

The ‘living wage’ is an idea with a long history in the UK that is currently enjoying a renaissance. It clearly has great appeal as a motivating rallying cry for campaigners. But it also raises both conceptual and pragmatic issues that have proved difficult to resolve, writes Fran Bennett. Recent analyses that unpack low pay and in work poverty suggest some ways forward

Giving back control? A contradiction at the heart of Universal Credit

As Damian Green arrives as Secretary of State in the Department for Work and Pensions, Universal Credit must be at the top of the long list of issues he faces – and the decisions he takes will have a major impact on many of the ‘ordinary working class’ families that Theresa May has promised will be the focus of her government. Jane Millar and Fran Bennett explain that, although the new system is supposed to make things simpler, for many it will actually make things more complicated

Uncharted Territory: Universal Credit, Couples and Money

This report presents findings from the first phase of the ESRC-funded project, ‘Couples balancing work, money and care: exploring the shifting landscape under Universal Credit’ – a three-year longitudinal, qualitative research study which examines the ways in which couples with and without children make decisions about work, care and household finances in relation to changes under Universal Credit

Universal Credit:assumptions, contradictions and virtual reality

Universal Credit is a major change in the UK’s social security system which will affect around eight million households by replacing six existing means-tested benefits and tax credits with a single benefit, based on income, assets and circumstances, and paid monthly. Much commentary about Universal Credit has supported the principle but raised concerns about delivery. This consensus about the principles and the focus on delivery have resulted in less attention being paid to key policy choices informing the design. This article examines two aspects of the design of Universal Credit: the aim to make Universal Credit as much ‘like work’ as possible; and the architecture of the means test. The focus here is the gap between the assumptions underlying the design of Universal Credit on the one hand and the research evidence about life on a low income, and in low-waged and often insecure employment, on the other. Finally, we discuss the most significant contradiction between the ‘transformational’ aim for Universal Credit, to help people achieve greater ‘independence’ from the state, and the realities of deepening and widening control of claimants’ lives

MtLAX2, a functional homologue of the Arabidopsis auxin influx transporter AUX1, is required for nodule organogenesis

Most legume plants can form nodules, specialized lateral organs that form on roots, and house nitrogen-fixing bacteria collectively called rhizobia. The uptake of the phytohormone auxin into cells is known to be crucial for development of lateral roots. To test the role of auxin influx in nodulation we used the auxin influx inhibitors 1-naphthoxyacetic acid (1-NOA) and 2-NOA, which we found reduced nodulation of Medicago truncatula. This suggested the possible involvement of the AUX/LAX family of auxin influx transporters in nodulation. Gene expression studies identified MtLAX2, a paralogue of Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) AUX1, as being induced at early stages of nodule development. MtLAX2 is expressed in nodule primordia, the vasculature of developing nodules, and at the apex of mature nodules. The MtLAX2 promoter contains several auxin response elements, and treatment with indole-acetic acid strongly induces MtLAX2 expression in roots. mtlax2 mutants displayed root phenotypes similar to Arabidopsis aux1 mutants, including altered root gravitropism, fewer lateral roots, shorter root hairs, and auxin resistance. In addition, the activity of the synthetic DR5-GUS auxin reporter was strongly reduced in mtlax2 roots. Following inoculation with rhizobia, mtlax2 roots developed fewer nodules, had decreased DR5-GUS activity associated with infection sites, and had decreased expression of the early auxin responsive gene ARF16a. Our data indicate that MtLAX2 is a functional analog of Arabidopsis AUX1 and is required for the accumulation of auxin during nodule formation in tissues underlying sites of rhizobial infection