Background and objectives: Despite a large amount of theoretical literature, empirical research into the area of social justice in counselling psychology has been limited to date. Furthermore, no research has explored this topic from the perspective of UK based counselling psychologists. The overarching purpose of this study was therefore to explore the social justice interest and commitment of members of the UK counselling psychology profession. Method and analyses: A mixed methods design was employed. A preliminary quantitative survey phase was followed by the priority stage of the research, in which qualitative interviews were conducted with six members of the counselling psychology profession with at least a moderate interest in, and commitment to, social justice. Qualitative data were analysed using tools from the grounded theory approach. Connection of the two phases of research occurred at participant selection for the qualitative phase and in the interpretation phase. Findings: Quantitative findings were limited; however, comparative to previous studies using the same measure, members of the counselling psychology profession have lower levels of social justice interest and commitment. Qualitative findings highlighted two core categories within the data: ‘Counselling psychologists’ understanding of social justice in counselling psychology and their connection to it’ and ‘Counselling psychologists’ reflections on social justice action’. Conclusions: The qualitative findings extend our understanding of counselling psychologists’ social justice interest and commitment and aid interpretation of the initial quantitative findings. Participants defined social justice in a way which is largely consistent with the theoretical literature but reported some difficulties with this which may be due to training in the area. Results relating to social justice action indicate that whilst some UK-based counselling psychologists are acting on their social justice values, there are numerous issues which potentially limit this. Recommendations for theory, further research and practice are discussed.

Since 2010 when the previous Conservative and Liberal Democrat Coalition Government came into power, major alterations have been introduced to the welfare state in the UK. The policy, commonly known as 'the bedroom tax' (BT) has received widespread public and media attention for its controversy and perceived attack on the finances and living conditions of low-income, working age households in need of welfare support. The implementation of this particular policy has reduced housing benefits for social housing tenants who are deemed to be under-occupying their homes according to the policy criteria. Families therefore, who are deemed to have a 'spare room' are required to make up the short-fall in rent or downsize to smaller properties. Research has shown that this policy has pushed vulnerable social housing tenants further into poverty and debt. This thesis has been designed to understand the everyday psychosocial effects of this policy further. It is a unique case study exploring life from a lone mother's experience of the policy. Data was collected from two interviews and over a ten-month period to assess whether time would be a factor that would affect the story told by one lone mother as she lives with the impacts of the policy. Both interviews were subject to critical narrative analysis. Murray's (1999) 'levels of narrative analysis' were drawn upon to analyse the multiple narratives occurring within this participant's experience of the BT, shedding light on stories told at the personal, interpersonal, positional and ideological level. The critical narrative analysis then looked at how these stories at each level connected to highlight the psychosocial implications of living with the BT policy as a single mother. The eight plotlines discovered in the analysis demonstrate the complicated areas, which contribute to the story as a whole. Time showed that pervasive feelings of stigmatisation and enforced social isolation occurred due to reduced economic resources and dominant cultural ideologies directed at welfare recipients. Overall, the present case study findings provide an example of the interrelatedness of wellbeing and wellness in the context of public policy changes. Moreover, it shows that the current social and political conditions are challenging the lives of those who find themselves in vulnerable socio-economic positions. The case study poses a number of challenges for counselling psychology, especially as there are ongoing debates on how the profession can engage effectively with wider social and political issues.