2023/08/01 by J. Barry Cullingworth, Nicholas Watson, Thomas Shakespeare +3 · 1 voice
Economics, Econometrics and Finance · Social Sciences · #Healthcare innovation and challenges #Housing, Finance, and Neoliberalism #Social Policy and Reform Studies
paper · doi:10.1332/204080521x16593450428164
openalex publication_date 2023/08/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/02
This article explores the third sector’s role during the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on the experiences of disabled people in England and Scotland. It draws on semi-structured longitudinal interviews with 71 disabled people and 31 key informants, primarily from disabled people’s organisations. The third sector’s nimble response, supporting people in myriad innovative ways, emerged as a key finding. In contrast, statutory services were experienced by many as a barrier rather than an enabler, posing doubts about the state’s ability to respond to the crisis. Our findings raise questions about the role of the state and the third sector. We employ and critique Young’s typology of sector–state relations, concluding that the state needs to engage with the third sector as an equal and strategic partner, recognising its civil society credentials. Further, we raise questions about the appropriateness of using supply and demand models to understand the third sector’s societal role.