School of Social and Political Science

Description

Research Team

• Morgan Currie
• Hayley Bennett
• Victoria Gorton
• Alli Spring

Project

This research project explores digital and technological approaches to the design and delivery of welfare services in Scotland and the UK. 

The design and use of digital tools in the welfare state is not simply a technical discussion, but one with political, economic, and social features and consequences. In Scotland this discussion involves multi-level considerations as social security and anti-poverty activities involve UK government, Scottish government, and local government.

The main part of this work began with a collaborative event in March 2026 that brought together researchers, practitioners and policy makers to explore the development of a digital welfare state and the design and delivery of anti-poverty welfare services. The day-long event contributed to nurturing a digital welfare community, co-creating some key principles of digital welfare in Scotland, and advancing future research and policy collaborations.

Publications

• The event led to this policy briefing:

Advancing Datafied Welfare Administration: Insights and Experiences on the Digital Welfare State in Scotland 

• The project team also created:

Digital Welfare Principles - An Illustrated Guide

Event details

Understanding and shaping a digital welfare state in Scotland
Tuesday 31 March
9:15am - 4pm
Edinburgh Futures Institute, Room 1.50
The University of Edinburgh

This project is a collaboration co-funded by the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at the University of Edinburgh, and the Administrative Fairness Lab. It is led by Hayley Bennett (Social Policy, University of Edinburgh), Morgan Currie (Science, Technology and Innovation Studies, University of Edinburgh) and Vicky Gorton (Science, Technology and Innovation Studies, University of Edinburgh). The team working in partnership with Jed Meers (University of York) and Joe Tomlinson (Kings College, London), who lead the Administrative Fairness Lab.