SSCR PhD Student
w.wang68@lse.ac.uk
Host university: London School of Economics and Political Science
Project title: Understanding the Supply of Social Care in the UK
Project summary: My PhD research uses quantitative methods to investigate the factors shaping the supply of social care in the UK, focusing on labour market conditions, immigration policy, and wage structures. I explore how these determinants influence the provision of social care and, consequently, how social care provision affects healthcare utilisation.
My first project examines the impact of workplace flexibility on informal caregiving arrangements and employees’ work-life satisfaction. Next, using Skills for Care data, I analyse how immigration policies influence social care staffing levels and care quality through looking at the Health and Care Worker Visa. Additionally, I assess how wage structures, particularly minimum wage adjustments, affect care workers and service standards. Finally, my research on Scotland’s Free Personal Care reform evaluates the relationship between the availability of social care and healthcare utilisation, including GP visits, outpatient visits, and inpatient stays. Overall, my work aims to inform policies that support sustainable and effective care provision, which could benefit both caregivers and care recipients.
Anticipated completion date: September 2026
PhD supervisors: Juliette Malley, Joan Costa-Font, Bo Hu
