Saul Becker

Saul Becker
Known forResearch on young carers, social work and social policy
Academic background
EducationUniversity of Nottingham
Academic work
DisciplineSocial work, social policy, children and childhood
InstitutionsManchester Metropolitan University

Saul Becker FAcSS FRSA DL is a British academic and social scientist known for his work on young carers, with Carers Trust and Caring Together Charity describing him as a world leader in the field. He is an author and editor of 18 books, including Young Carers and their Families and Responding to Poverty. Since 2023 he has been the Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Head of the Faculty of Health and Education at Manchester Metropolitan University, and Founding Director of the Institute for Children's Futures. In 2025 Becker was appointed Deputy Lieutenant of Greater Manchester and is a trustee of various charities including the Manchester United Foundation.

Early life and education

Becker is a former pupil of Rossall School and a graduate of the University of Nottingham: BA (1981); MA (1983); and PhD (1987). His Doctorate was on the relationships between poverty and the use of social services. He is a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences and the Royal Society of Arts and is a Registered Social Worker with Social Work England. He practiced as a local authority social worker and senior welfare rights officer before becoming a full-time academic.[citation needed]

Career

In May 2022, Becker was appointed Professor of Children and Families at Manchester Metropolitan University. Previous posts held include: Director of Research & Andrew and Virginia Rudd Professor of Social Care Research and Education Practice, Faculty of Education, University of Cambridge; Provost and Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the University of Sussex; Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Head of the College of Social Sciences, University of Birmingham; Assistant Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Internationalisation), University of Nottingham; Head of the School of Social Policy and Sociology, University of Nottingham; Director of Research, Institute of Applied Social Studies, University of Birmingham; Co-Founder and Associate Director, Centre for Child and Family Research, Loughborough University.[citation needed]

Becker has served as principal investigator on 56 externally-funded research projects.

His research impact has been recognised by the UK-wide charity Carers Trust which appointed him as their first-ever Ambassador, AccessHE which recognised him as a Role Model and Universities UK which named his as one of the Nation's Lifesavers.

He was a member of the UK Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2014 Social Work and Social Policy Sub-panel 22.

Publications

Becker has published over 350 works, including 18 books, and has presented over 250 conference papers.[citation needed]

He held the post of chair of the Social Policy Association and the founding series editor for the Policy Press Understanding Welfare book series. He and his work have featured in nine television documentaries. He has been interviewed by Andrew Marr and Will Hutton on young carers, and the future of care in Britain. In 2025 Becker was appointed Deputy Lieutenant of Greater Manchester<manchesterlieutenancy/> and is a trustee of various charities including the Manchester United Foundation.

References

  1. 1 2 "Carers Trust appoints world-leading young carers' researcher as its first-ever Ambassador" (Press release). Carers Trust. 23 October 2020. Retrieved 6 October 2026.
  2. ↑ "Ground-breaking new alliance to bring change for young carers and young adult carers" (Press release). Caring Together Charity. 11 March 2022. Retrieved 6 October 2026.
  3. ↑ "Profile | Saul Becker". The Conversation. Retrieved 6 October 2026.
  4. ↑ "About the Institute for Children's Futures". Institute for Children's Futures. Manchester Metropolitan University. Retrieved 6 October 2026.
  5. ↑ "Professor Saul Becker DL". Greater Manchester Lieutentancy. Retrieved 6 October 2026.
  6. 1 2 "The Board". Manchester United Foundation. Retrieved 6 October 2026.
  7. ↑ Becker, Saul (1997). Campling, Jo (ed.). Responding to Poverty: The Politics of Cash and Care. Longman. ISBN 978-0582243224.
  8. ↑ "Internationally renowned children, care and caring expert to join Manchester Met" (Press release). Manchester Metropolitan University. 17 May 2022. Retrieved 6 October 2026.
  9. ↑ "Saul Becker: mental health advocate, cake enthusiast and your new Deputy VC". The Badger (Interview). Interviewed by Karaman, Deniz. 11 December 2017. Retrieved 6 October 2026.
  10. ↑ "Professor Saul Becker (Falcon 71-77)". Rossall School. 18 February 2016. Retrieved 6 October 2026.
  11. ↑ "Professor Saul Becker joins University of Sussex as Deputy Vice-Chancellor" (Press release). University of Sussex. 25 September 2017. Archived from the original on 8 December 2017.
  12. ↑ AccessHE [@AccessHE] (3 June 2020). "Next up, we're looking at role models more broadly, starting with @profsaulbecker from @SussexUni. Prof. Becker is responsible for pioneering research into Young Carers, and has published prolifically on the subject since the early 1990s" (Tweet). Retrieved 6 October 2026 – via Twitter.
  13. ↑ "Provost named among Nation's Lifesavers" (Press release). University of Sussex. 16 May 2019. Retrieved 6 October 2026.
  14. ↑ "REF2014 | Panel C" (PDF). Research Excellence Framework. Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 March 2018.
  15. ↑ "Professor Saul Becker | Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Faculty of Health and Education". Manchester Metropolitan University. Retrieved 6 October 2026.
  16. ↑ What future for the UK's unpaid carers? Andrew Marr and Professor Saul Becker in conversation. Carers Trust. 14 October 2020. Retrieved 6 October 2026 – via YouTube.
  17. ↑ "Delighted that my interview with Will Hutton, for the Academy of Social Sciences, on children who are unpaid family carers, is available as the latest podcast on the excellent 'The We Society' series". Saul Becker. 31 July 2024. Retrieved 6 October 2026 – via Linkdin.