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People on low-incomes in the UK develop multiple long-term health conditions over 10 years earlier than affluent individuals. Financial diaries -new to public health- are used to explore the lived experiences of financially-vulnerable individuals, diagnosed with at least one long-term condition, living in two inner-city London Boroughs. Findings show that the health status of these individuals is a key barrier to work opportunities, undermining their income. Their precarious and uncertain financial situation, sometimes combined with housing issues, increased stress and anxiety which, in turn, contributed to further deteriorate participants' health. Long-term health conditions limited the strategies to overcome moments of financial crisis and diarists frequently used credit to cope. Restrictions to access reliable services and timely support were connected to the progression of multiple long-term conditions. Models that integrate healthcare, public health, welfare and financial support are needed to slow down the progression from one to many long-term health conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microfinance has attracted great attention, stimulated, initially, by its association with the award of the Nobel Prize for Peace, based on its transformative potential in addressing poverty. However, work based on randomised trials associated with the award of the Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences, put the brakes on. As health economists, and given their promotion as a 'gold standard' method borrowed from medicine, we take a particular perspective on the microfinance trials. We question whether full account had been taken of methodological developments in the health arena that were in place before the microfinance trials were embarked upon. This may help explain the outcomes of research, subsequent to the trials, casting doubt on their initial results, but also aid calls for even greater attention to be paid to developments in health evaluations – many drawing from social science more broadly – to better explain what works for whom in which circumstances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taking advantage of the passage of a microfinance law in Italy (2014), we explore the rationales for introducing microfinance‐specific regulation in high‐income welfare states and the potential effects that this process may have on MFIs' social and financial performances (i.e. double bottom line). Our findings suggest that the institutional transformation of MFIs, in addition to product design and target group required by the new regulation, has unintendedly shifted their balance in favor of financial over social performance. This mainly applies to non‐profit organizations and cooperatives. Microfinance‐specific regulation in high‐income welfare states may reflect the emerging trends of market‐based rationality of public policy. When regulatory arrangements for MFIs are stipulated irrespectively of MFIs' original mission the structural causes of financial exclusion may be reinforced. The underlying rationales for this trade‐off should be considered to prevent and mitigate the unintended effects of microfinance‐specific regulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Networks of organizations involved in public policy implementation require strong interaction, concerted action and high degrees of collaboration to be effective. However, little is known about how different types of organizations involved in implementation of multi-sectoral social policies interact in these networks. In this article the relationship between organizational characteristics and network position is explored, as well as how the intensity of collaborations can also determine organizations' involvement in networks. The nature of funding (public/private) and the remit of activity of organizations are found to determine their influence and importance in social policy networks. Furthermore, the network position of the organizations also depends on the level of intensity of their interactions. These results can guide public administrators when developing and promoting networks to involve a particular type of actor and also policymakers as to which types of ties are more aligned with the implementation of a particular policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we use the concept of ‘alterity’ to explore the hallmarks and transformative potential of Community Development Finance Institutions (CDFIs) in the UK consumer credit market. By providing small, short‐term personal loans to individuals on low incomes (i.e. microcredit), these lenders act as an alternative to exploitative forms of subprime lending, which have proliferated as a consequence of cuts in welfare state provision and growing income insecurity. In‐depth interviews (n = 23) were conducted with lenders and stakeholders and a typology of ‘alternatives' was developed in relation to the clients of CDFIs and their role in the consumer credit market. Our contribution to knowledge is twofold: We provide a nuanced picture of ‘alterity’ in finance, finding that CDFIs embody multiple ‘alterities' at the same time, and we extend the conversation about alternative and sustainable finance to the consumer credit market, which is an overlooked, yet critical, area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]