Social Policy Pest Analysis

Social policy can be defined in a number of ways, Alcock (2008), argues that, `social policy is used to refer to the action taken within society to deliver and develop services for people in order to meet their needs for welfare and wellbeing`. Dean (2006) also claims that, `social policy entails the study of the social relation necessary for individual wellbeing and the system by which wellbeing is promoted`.

Pest can be used to uncover issues likely to have major impact in present times and also the future of the country. Pest analysis can be an effective tool to examine and influence the policy process. It can serve as a key driver for policy change or help identify the key issue arising in society. It can serve as a way to change or resolve

The recent changes in Immigration Act, consists of the government making sure that a tenant has the right to stay in the country. This is the new legal requirement that the government has introduced for private landlord and letting agencies. The government issued a pilot scheme for residential landlord in Birmingham, Wolverhampton, Dudly, Walsall and Sandwell to carry out immigration status checks on all new tenants and anyone living with them. If the landlords fail to do so they will be charged a fine of £3,00 if they are found to be renting to anyone without legal documents (Webber,

The checks do not only apply to the landlords or housing agents, it also applies to driver licenses and bank account. These people in charge of this need to check the immigration status of the people applying, if those in charge of this fail to do these checks they risk to be fine. This check is part of a raft of new measure in the Immigration Act 2014. (Webber, 2014; Paliament, UK, 2015). Immigration minister James Brokenshire claimed that, the quick and simple checks will make it more difficult for immigration offenders to stay in the country. When they have no right to be here. At the same time, the Act will also serve as a line of attack against unscrupulous landlords who exploit people by renting out substandard, overcrowded and unsafe accommodation. Immigrants have become out of control for the government, so they take any chance they have to reduce the proportion of immigrants in the country. (Webber, 2014). Changes to the removal and appeals system, making it easier and quicker to remove those with no right to be here. This is used as a way to prevent illegal immigrants coming into the country or staying in. At the same time away to make landlord rent out decent property to people. The political factor will still be the key driver of policy change in the future, as the politicians seek ways to reduce immigrants in the country