Transparency data

SSAC register of members' interests

Updated 6 July 2026

Member	Interests
Dr. Stephen Brien	Member, Social Metrics Commission Charity Trustee, The Centre for Social Policy Studies Senior Fellow, The Future Africa Forum Senior Fellow, Artha Global Advisory role (economic development), Presidency of the Ghana Republic (May/June 2026)
Les Allamby	Discretionary Support Commissioner for Northern Ireland (NI) Occasional legal opinion work and representation at Social Security Appeal Tribunals for Law Centre NI Chair of Northern Ireland Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders (NIACRO) and on the Council of Justice Member, Carers Poverty Commission NI for Carers NI Member, Carer’s Poverty Commission for Carers UK Independent Member, Policing Board NI Member, Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG)  Chair, Informing Choices NI Chair, Litigant in person Reference Group Board Member, Mary Ann McCracken Society
Fran Bennett	Consultancy work, European Social Policy Analysis Network Member and Secretary, Oxford and District Action on Child Poverty (local voluntary organisation) Fellow, Academy of Social Sciences Member, Social Policy Association Member, Policy Advisory Group, Women’s Budget Group Member, Child Poverty Action Group Occasional consultancy work on social security, gender and/or poverty issues Occasional academic articles/speaking on social security, gender and/or poverty issues Occasional reviews for academic journals and reviews of proposals for publishers
Joanne Cairns	Head of Research and Policy, Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers (USDAW) Member, Trades Union Congress (TUC) Executive Committee Member, Keep Britain Working Advisory Board Member, Advisory Group for the implementation phase of the Keep Britain Working review Member, Labour Party National Policy Forum
Bruce Calderwood	Trustee of Avenues Group, a charity providing services to people with complex needs
Rachel Chiu	Director of Business Development, Spring Housing Association Chair, Sir Josiah Mason Trust Advisor on Grant Making Committee, Lench’s Trust
Tom Clark	Principal Editor, Resolution Foundation Contributing Editor, Prospect magazine Self-employed work (in capacity of editorial consultant) with the Nuffield Foundation, mostly working on its Public Right to Justice Project Member, Advisory Board, Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) Centre for the Microeconomic Analysis of Public Policy, at the Institute for Fiscal Studies Member, Advisory Committee, Centre for Analysis of Social Exclusion, London School of Economics (LSE) Member, Editorial Board, Political Quarterly Member, National Union of Journalists
Daphne Hall	Editor, Rightsnet Vice Chair, National Association of Welfare Rights Advisers Occasional training to local welfare rights organisations on self-employed basis Close family member is employed by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)
Richard Machin	Associate Professor, Social Policy, Nottingham Trent University Trustee, Church Action on Poverty Senior Fellow, Higher Education Academy Advisory group member, Trussell Trust Hunger in the UK research Advisory board member, Quality Assurance Agency Social Policy Benchmark Statement Member of University and College Union NIHR (National Institute for Health and Care Research) Doctoral Award Funding Committee Member Wife manages Derby Advice (the welfare rights and money advice service at Derby Homes)
Owen McCloskey	Solicitor, Head of Social Security, Law Centre NI Member, Social Security Standards Committee NI Member, Law Society NI Guest lecturer on the University of Ulster Master of Laws (LLM) in Access to Justice Wife is a disability qualified member sitting on Social Security Appeal tribunals in NI
Jacob Meagher	Barrister Reasonable Adjustment (Sole Trader, provides Equality Act and Occupational Medicine advice) Trustee and Board Member, Snowden Trust Independent Panel Member, Ministry of Justice and Department for Transport Of the Middle Temple and Bar of Republic of Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC) Senior Fellow, The Higher Education Academy Fellow, Royal Society for Public Health Fellow of the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment Chartered Banker Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Scriveners
Dr. Sam Royston	Executive Director of Research and Policy, Marie Curie Trustee, Turn2Us Member, Child Poverty Action Group Member, the Fabian Society
Dr. Suzy Walton	Vice President, Combat Stress Board member (lay), National Independent Reconfiguration Panel, Department of Health and Social Care Disciplinary Panels member, The Judicial Conduct Investigations Office (Ministry of Justice) Member, Security Vetting Appeals Panel, Cabinet Office Strategic Advisor, Institute of Directors Fellow, Institute of Directors (Chartered Director) Fellow, British Psychological Society (Chartered Occupational Psychologist) Honorary Fellow, University of Westminster Life Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts Honorary Doctor of Science, University of Hertfordshire
Professor Sharon Wright	Professor of Social Policy, University of Glasgow Voluntary member, Scottish Campaign on Rights to Social Security (SCORSS) Research Affiliate, Autonomy Research Affiliate, Centre for Public Policy, University of Glasgow Member, Social Policy Association Member, Academy of Social Science Member, University and College Union

Note: Should a social security benefit be in payment to a Committee member or a close family member, this would be separately declared to the Committee Chair direct.