UK: SDGs and economic and social rights under the Brexit uncertainty

The present and future of economic and social rights in the UK will depend considerably on the legal and policy consequences of the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union.

In recent years, the UK has introduced significant changes to its welfare state with the Welfare Reform Act 2012 and the Welfare Reform and Work Act 2016. The reforms were justified on two grounds: deficit reduction and ending welfare dependency by facilitating access to work.

However, several studies have provided strong evidence that the reforms are not delivering the promised outcomes, whilst a large number of households are seeing their level of enjoyment of the rights to social security and adequate standard of living diminished.

Source: United Kingdom National Report 2017.