Challenging the Mystique of Welfare Benefits

Are you a young LGBTQ+ person who has been unemployed? Did you claim Universal Credit to help you at this time? Have you claimed welfare benefits like Universal Credit? How was this experience?

This event will showcase Instagram videos, supported with an invite-only closed discussion group at LGBT Youth Scotland’s Falkirk Youth Group that will help dispel myths around welfare benefits. It will also help explain what to expect if a young LGBTQ+ person does start a claim.

Who’s leading the session? 

The videos will be made by Edinburgh-based drag queen Mystika Glamoor.   

Peter Matthews, Professor of Social Policy and LGBTQ+ Studies, University of Stirling, will facilitate the discussion group.   

Who should attend the event?

The discussion group is only open to existing attendees of the LGBT Youth Scotland youth group meeting in Falkirk. The videos will be available for sharing on Instagram @queercushion. The event is aimed at young people aged 16-25 who identify as LGBTQ+.

This event is part of the ESRC Festival of Social Science 2025.