- English
- ePUB (mobile friendly)
- Available on iOS & Android
About this book
Since the Second World War, the means test has played a role of growing importance in British social security provision. Beveridge's vision of a society protected by a national system of social insurance has never been realized and, instead, social assistance, designed as a residual and diminishing means of support, has gradually been expanded to make up for the inadequacies of a national insurance system which was at first neglected and then attacked by governments. This important shift in the founding principles of the British income maintenance programme occurred without any public or parliamentary debate and without public acknowledgement by government that it was happening. As a result, British social assistance provision has continually been stretched beyond reasonable limits.
First published in 1993, Managing Poverty examines the reasons for the growing importance of social assistance in British social security policy, traces the many changes introduced by successive governments, and explores in detail why both Conservative and Labour governments have been unsuccessful in finding permanent solutions to the recurrent problems that have emerged. Most of the previous literature on this subject has concentrated on the policy-making process, but Carol Walker looks at the efficacy of these policies from the point of view of the service users, the claimants. She uses empirical evidence on the experiences and views of claimants to evaluate benefit provision.
This book will be an invaluable text to all undergraduates and postgraduates in the social sciences, particularly social policy, and to all welfare professionals.
Frequently asked questions
- Essential is ideal for learners and professionals who enjoy exploring a wide range of subjects. Access the Essential Library with 800,000+ trusted titles and best-sellers across business, personal growth, and the humanities. Includes unlimited reading time and Standard Read Aloud voice.
- Complete: Perfect for advanced learners and researchers needing full, unrestricted access. Unlock 1.4M+ books across hundreds of subjects, including academic and specialized titles. The Complete Plan also includes advanced features like Premium Read Aloud and Research Assistant.
Please note we cannot support devices running on iOS 13 and Android 7 or earlier. Learn more about using the app.
Information
Table of contents
- Cover Page
- Half Title Page
- Title Page
- Copyright Page
- Original Title Page
- Original Copyright Page
- Dedication
- Contents
- List of tables
- Acknowledgments
- Series editor's preface
- 1 Introduction: Managing poverty
- 2 The shifting sands of British social security
- 3 The adequacy of benefits: How much is enough?
- Living in poverty
- 5 Making ends meet
- 6 Meeting need: A safety net for the safety net?
- 7 Another twist of the screw: 1988 and beyond
- 8 Retaining dignity in adversity: Being a claimant
- 9 Conclusion: Claimants first
- Bibliography
- Name index
- Subject index