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The SPA awards for 2025 were announced at our annual conference in July at the University of York. Read our story on the awards ceremony here.
Please see the results for each category. Many congratulations to all of the winners! Further information on the awards is available below.
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Richard Titmuss Book Award |
Philip Rathgeb, University of Edinburgh. How the Radical Right Has Changed Capitalism and Welfare in Europe and the USA |
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Policy Press Outstanding Teaching Award |
John McKendrick, Glasgow Caledonian University |
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Excellence in Doctoral Research Award |
Anna Baillie, University of Glasgow Complexities and contradictions: exploring conceptualisations of lived experience in policymaking to tackle poverty |
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Cambridge University Press Award for Excellence in Social Policy Scholarship: Social Policy & Society |
Edith England, Cardiff Met You’re having us on … that’s what it felt like.’: Frontline Workers Navigating the Introduction of Moral Commitments to Domestic Abuse Support within a Statutory Homelessness System” |
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Cambridge University Press Award for Excellence in Social Policy Scholarship: Journal of Social Policy |
Antonia Simon, Atul Shah, Katie Quy and Charlie Owen Financialisation and private equity in early childhood care and education in England |
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CUP Excellence in Social Policy Scholarship: Journal of International & Comparative Social Policy |
Sanni Välimäki, Johanna Lammi-Taskula, Merita Mesiäislehto, and Johanna Närvi Growing inequality and diverging paths in early childhood education and care: Educational disparities in Europe. |
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Outstanding Achievement in Social Policy Award |
Zoe Irving, Emeritus Uni of York Emeritus Professor of International and Comparative Social Policy, University of York. |
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Public understanding award |
Frances Ryan Multi award-winning journalist and author |
General Information
Each year the Social Policy Association (SPA) calls for nominations for its annual SPA Awards, to be announced at the SPA Annual Conference in July.
The SPA awards aim to:
1) Advance the interests of the SPA and its members through increased reach and status.
2) Recognise and endorse the work of academics who are both researching and teaching social policy, and who as SPA members contribute to advancing the discipline.
3) Recognise and endorse the work of individuals and organisations who as social policy practitioners and/or advocates, are using academic work produced by the social policy academic community and/or are working with academics to promote the public understanding of social policy.
Process of awards
Where the awards are made on the decision of the SPA-appointed judging panel, the panel will comprise four judges appointed by the Executive to serve for 3 years and will normally include:
- The SPA President
- 1 judge drawn from outside the academic community
- 2 judges appointed from SPA membership
Award categories:
We have six categories of awards, each with their own specific aim, eligibility criteria, and nomination process. These are:
- Outstanding Achievement in Social Policy Award
- Excellence in Doctoral Research Award
- The Richard Titmuss Book Award
- Policy Press Outstanding Teaching Award
- Public Understanding of Social Policy Award
- Cambridge University Press Awards for Excellence in Social Policy Scholarship (JSP, SP&S & JCISP)
Who won in previous years?
You can view a last of past winners at the following link: