Examining the consequences of welfare conditionality : A case study of compulsory income management in the regional community of Ceduna, Australia

Journal article

Roche, Steven, Mendes, Philip, Marston, Greg, Bielefeld, Shelley, Peterie, Michelle, Staines, Zoe and Humpage, Louise. (2022). Examining the consequences of welfare conditionality : A case study of compulsory income management in the regional community of Ceduna, Australia. Social Policy and Society. 21(3), pp. 369-384. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1474746421000063

Publication dates
Authors	Roche, Steven, Mendes, Philip, Marston, Greg, Bielefeld, Shelley, Peterie, Michelle, Staines, Zoe and Humpage, Louise
Abstract	Welfare conditionality, whereby eligibility for income support payments is linked to prescribed forms of behaviour or values, is intended to encourage responsible behaviour in marginalised populations. However in practice, it may have consequences that worsen rather than improve their life chances. One of the most invasive forms of conditional welfare is income management (IM), involving the quarantining of up to 90 per cent of income that cannot be spent on excluded items in order to reduce substance abuse and gambling and enhance financial management and parenting capacity. This qualitative study examines the views of IM participants and community stakeholders in the regional community of Ceduna, Australia. Its findings are presented – pertaining to practical experiences of IM, the impact of IM on participant wellbeing, and community divisions around IM – and the study discusses whether or not it has advanced key program objectives. It is concluded that the negative effects of IM exceed any perceived benefits.
Keywords	income management; welfare; conditionality; social policy; indigenous issues
Year	2022
Journal	Social Policy and Society
Journal citation	21 (3), pp. 369-384
Publisher	Cambridge University Press
ISSN	1474-7464
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)	https://doi.org/10.1017/S1474746421000063
Scopus EID	2-s2.0-85103211132
Page range	369-384
Funder	Australian Research Council (ARC)
Publisher's version	License All rights reserved File Access Level Controlled
Output status	Published
Online	25 Mar 2021
Publication process dates
Deposited	04 Apr 2025
ARC Funded Research	This output has been funded, wholly or partially, under the Australian Research Council Act 2001
Grant ID	DP180101252

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