Frances Ryan
Frances Ryan is a journalist and political commentator. She writes The Guardian's Hardworking Britain column, amongst other work on disability, economics, and social mobility. She has a doctorate in politics, exploring inequality in education Follow her on Twitter at @DrFrancesRyan
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They’ve endured domestic violence. Now they’re victims of austerityThe cost of government cuts isn’t always visible. But there is no escaping it in Sunderland, where services to vulnerable women are under threat
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Disabled and cold: Sandra is penalised for being poor. Fuel poverty is harshTheir freezing home makes her asthmatic son sick, but she can’t access a cheaper energy tariff. So she rations heat, cuts out food and goes to bed early
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Here are six ways to achieve a truly ‘shared society’Theresa May has outlined her vision of a ‘shared society’. But truly creating this requires a major culture shift and money where it’s needed
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The crisis of disabled millennials: 'It feels hopeless'From work insecurity to student debt and unaffordable housing, young adults are facing huge challenges. And none more so than disabled people, with cuts to social care and accommodation making their lives increasingly impossible
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Fighting back is possible. At the end of a bleak year, here are my winnersOver the past year this series has featured many people severely affected by cuts to welfare. I’ve revisited four families who have finally found some justice
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How do you hide $400m? Catch up on our live look at the weekFrom Trump to the top films of 2016, look back at our discussion of the week’s top stories in real-time, with comment from journalists
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Christmas at a food bank: ‘They’ve not eaten for three days’North Paddington food bank is in one of the wealthiest parts of London. That doesn’t mean that local people aren’t struggling to get enough to eat
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As temperatures drop, Lily’s charity is working to keep homeless people aliveThere’s a new homeless crisis in Britain as a cocktail of cuts simultaneously swells the numbers of street sleepers while denying them state-funded shelter
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Homelessness, hunger, debt: who steps in when the state pulls the plug?Charities, social enterprises and private firms have stepped in as hardship grows – but only governments can make the change needed to prevent disaster
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Carly came forward about sexual abuse – then she lost her benefitsCarly lives with terrible pain, but when her benefits were taken away the appeals tribunal was at the same court handling the sexual abuse case
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Cut after cut has left a disabled woman with nothing to live onBessie has been hit by a succession of cruel blows by the DWP. She even ended up pawning her inherited jewellery just to eat and stay warm
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What does the US election mean for America? Catch up on our discussionWhat a week it’s been! Recap on our live look at the top news and comment below the line, with input from our journalists
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Suspicion has become Britain’s default setting. How did it come to this?The ‘genuine v fake’ narrative – applied to child refugees, disabled people, anyone asking for help – not only erodes empathy, its goalposts are ever shifting
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Don’t stigmatise disabled people as workshyDisabled people are desperate to work, but we can only get there with the proper support. This government finds it easier to shame us than provide that help
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Denise worked all her life. Then she got ill – and the state pulled away the safety netThe awful conclusion from Denise’s case study is this: don’t assume the DWP and benefits system will be there in your hour of need
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A vulnerable woman. A derelict home. Day 20 without running waterWith London’s housing crisis, tenants like Alicia are little more than a commodity for profit. ‘The council knows about the problems,’ she says. ‘But nothing gets done’
Hardworking Britain I, Daniel Blake is a realistic depiction of life on benefits. Isn’t it?