Passing of John Ditch

Posted on Wednesday 24 September 2025

John Ditch (12 November 1952 to 8 September 2025) was born in Sunderland. He studied Politics (BA, 1974) and Sociology (BPhil, 1975) at the University of York. He moved to pursue research and teaching roles at Ulster Polytechnic and University of Ulster where he remained for 15 years, including a year-long secondment to the Northern Ireland Civil Service at Stormont and award of a PhD following part-time study.

John returned to York in 1991 as Assistant Director of the Social Policy Research Unit with responsibility for its growing social security programme. He was promoted Professor of Social Policy and served as Head of Social Policy in the Department of Social Policy and Social Work from 1995 to 2000. During his time at York he also held key roles in the Social Policy Association, including serving as Chair of the Journal of Social Policy’s Editorial Board. His work was mostly in the field of comparative social security and family policy. He was a strong advocate of European social policy and served as Director of the European Observatory on National Family Policies from 1994 to 1998.

In 2002 he was appointed Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research) and subsequently Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research & Consultancy) at Northumbria University. He was later Head of Social Science at the University of Aberdeen and Director of Higher Education at Askham Bryan College.

Between 2009 and 2018 he held several public appointments including Chair of the NHS North Yorkshire and York Community and Mental Health Services Board, an Independent Member of the Agricultural Wages Board for England and Wales and a member of the Social Security Advisory Committee with special responsibility for its research programme. He was advisor to the European Commission and Senior Expert to the EU’s Mutual Information System on Social Protection. During this time, he was Honorary Professor of Social Policy at York.

In retirement John kept active involvement in University life, including membership of the University’s Alumni Funds Disbursement Group and regular attendance at talks and events. He had over-sight of a professional development programme, for senior Vietnamese public sector officials hosted at York where he mentored wisely and brokered generously, including making connections to Parliament, Whitehall, Health Service and the NGO sector.

An expert fly fisher and Chair of Ness Fly Fishers, he cast frequently in North Yorkshire and the West of Ireland. He was an avid reader and authority on Irish history, and a lover of opera. Condolences go to Marie and his three daughters.