What difference do devolution and localisation make to social security? Divergence in law, policy, and practice in the four UK countries

Since 2012, the United Kingdom has moved from having essentially a single, uniform approach to social security to one in which there is much more extensive variation at country and local levels. Overall, while Northern Ireland has by far the most extensive devolved social security competences, it is in Scotland that devolution has resulted in the greatest difference to the benefits available. Devolved government plays a minor role in social security in Wales (although the new Welsh Government has ambitions for this to change) and none in England. Conversely, local government plays a bigger role in social security in England than elsewhere, and England has the most extensive local variation in the support available. Local government delivers many (although not all) of the same areas of social security in Scotland and Wales as in England, but devolved government places greater constraints on local autonomy. In Northern Ireland local authorities have no role in social security.