@lauracgardiner kicks off our presentation by showing how our £225bn social security system has grown over time - from 4% of GDP after the second world war to 10% today, and 12% over the coming decades

Looking at the breakdown of social security spending over time, @lauracgardiner notes that we spend more today on supporting housing costs, working families and the costs of disability than in the past

@lauracgardiner notes that changes in social security spending are driven by 3 factors; 1) the economic cycle (eg higher in downturns as unemployment rises) 2) demographic trends (eg ageing society) and 3) policy changes (big recent eg - the 4 year working-age benefit freeze)

@lauracgardiner notes that demographic trends and policy changes have come together over the last decade - the gap between pensioner and non-pensioner benefit spending is at its highest level in three decades

By 2024, social security support will be £34 billion lower than it was in 2010, due to reductions in support. The vast majority of these cuts have fallen on low income working age families

Turning to the challenges facing the modern welfare state, @lauracgardiner points to 1) health (incl. mental health) 2) Insecurity and progression (not worklessness) 3) Housing (rise of PRS) and 4) Assets (importance of wealth to living standards) and 5) attitudes (who is poor)

What are the main parties proposing to do about social security in their manifestos? The baseline is the huge reductions in support since 2010. A quarter of the social security cuts announced in 2015 are still to be rolled out...

Focusing on Labour's social security plans, the biggest gains go to the poorest families. Despite this picture, some families will still be worse off compared to the pre-2015 benefits system. Working single parents will still be worse due to benefit freeze legacy

Turning to the Lib Dem proposals, @lauracgardiner says that their proposals are slightly more progressive than Labour, and includes a second earner Work Allowance in UC that we've called for.

Finally, the Conservatives' plan to stick with the status quo mean that the projected rise in child poverty is set to continue over the next parliament. Labour/Lib Dem proposals will halt that rise - but won't reduce poverty, and will require higher taxes