Meet our Board

Judith Paterson

Board Member and Acting Co-Chair

Judith Paterson is Head of Advice and Rights (Scotland) for the Child Poverty Action Group in Scotland (CPAG).

She joined CPAG in 2001 from Disability Alliance, now part of Disability Rights (UK). She has worked in the field of social security advice for more than 30 years and is an author of guides on social security law and practice. She was previously a member of the independent Disability and Carers’ Benefits Expert Advisory Group appointed by the Scottish Government and a member of the Social Security Advisory Committee, advising the UK Department for Work and Pensions.

Dr Mark Simpson

Board Member and Acting Co-Chair

Dr Mark Simpson is a Senior Lecturer in Law at Ulster University, Derry-Londonderry.

His research focuses on social security, poverty and human rights in the context of devolution. Mark’s first book, Social Citizenship in an Age of Welfare Regionalism: the State of the Social Union, was published in June 2022. The book examines both the impact on social security law and the constitutional tensions that result when the welfare state ideology of devolved governments conflicts with that of the UK Government. Mark’s published work also includes a report for the Equality and Human Rights Commission on Social security systems based on dignity and respect. Mark is a member of the editorial board of the Journal of Social Security Law. He was also a Panel member for the independent review of the discretionary support scheme for the Northern Ireland Department for Communities and was a panel member on the Department’s independent review of welfare mitigations.

Marilyn Howard

Board Member

Marilyn Howard is currently a postgraduate research student at the University of Bristol.

Her experience includes policy and strategy development when working for the Department for Work and Pensions and the Disability Rights Commission. She has also undertaken policy and research work for UK-wide disability organisations, Women’s Aid (England) and for a variety of organisations in a freelance capacity.

Former roles include membership of the UK Government’s Disability Living Allowance Advisory Board and the Disability Employment Advisory Committee. Marilyn’s research interests include social security, poverty and equality, with publications on social security policy and women, carers, and disabled people. She has also worked with individuals and communities on benefits advice and advocacy.