The Welfare State

1. The Welfare State Learning Intentions (Pupils should be able to): 1. Explain the difference between universal and means-tested benefits. 2. Describe the sorts of benefits available to different groups without work: unemployed, families with children, sick and pensioners. 3. State two different ways of measuring unemployment levels. 4. State original aims of the NHS.

2. The Welfare State 1. Selected Welfare State Support Tackling the ‘Five Giant Evils’: • Idleness - Help to those without work • Want and Ignorance - Help to families and children • Disease - Help to the sick • Want - Help to poor including pensioners • Squalor - Help to those with poor housing

3. The Welfare State 2. Universal or ‘Means-tested’ The UK operates a liberal model of welfare state support (i.e. distinction between deserving and undeserving poor). This means that the benefits people without work receive depend on their individual circumstances e.g. • single, married or widowed • with or without children • whether caring for someone who is sick or disabled • having responsibility for children with special needs • sick and unable to work Note: Benefit payments in the UK are either universal or means -tested. Universal is for all e.g. Child Benefit. Means tested is where income is taken into account before deciding payment.

4. The Welfare State 3a. Selected Welfare State Support - Those Without Work The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is responsible for benefits and services for people throughout the UK. However, most benefits for those without work are administered by Jobcentre Plus although this is technically part of the DWP. For definitions of unemployment click here

5. www.neath-portalbot.gov.uk/welfarerights/index.cfm The Welfare State 3b. Selected Welfare State Help - Those Without Work Jobseeker’s Allowance Tax Credits Money benefits to those without work include: Attendance Allowance Disability Living Allowance Carer’s Allowance Bereavement Allowance Widowed Parent’s Allowance

6. www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/People/Social-Inclusion The Welfare State 4. Selected Welfare State Help - Families and Children Families with Children (UK Govt. and Scottish Executive) Support to families with children includes: • Child Benefit (06/07: 1st child = £20.00/ 2nd = £13.20) • Tax Credits e.g. Child and Childcare Tax Credits • Sure Start Scotland www.surestart.gov.uk • Working for Families (WFF) as part of Executive’s ‘Closing the Opportunity Gap’ programme • In education - free nursery place to all 3 and 4 year olds, State primary and secondary schooling, free school lunches, school clothing grants, Educational Maintenance Allowance (EMA), etc.

7. The Welfare State 5. Selected Welfare State Support - The Sick The Sick - NHS Care from ‘Cradle to Grave’ Health care services on the NHS include: • Primary Care: first point of contact services including G.P.s, dentists, opticians, chiropodists, etc. • Secondary Care or hospital-based services which includes general hospitals and care for the mentally ill. • Tertiary Care - specialist services after referral e.g. Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Edinburgh The NHS is described as a ‘cradle to grave’ service covering all areas of health need. For original aims of the NHS click here

8. The Welfare State 6. Selected Welfare State Support - Pensioners Pensioners - In 2006 retirement age for men was 65 and women 60 (both rising to 68 by 2050) Pensioners are entitled to a number of benefits and a range of support as part of the Welfare State inc.: • State Retirement Pension plus other benefits where entitled e.g. Income Support, access to Social Fund, etc. • Winter Fuel Payments, Free Off Peak Travel, etc. • ‘Free Personal Care’ (in Scotland) i.e. help with personal washing, cleaning, etc. • Attendance Allowance and Disability Living Allowance For details of pensioner benefits click on link Pension Service logo

9. The Welfare State 7. Selected Welfare State Support - Social / Council Housing Social / Council Housing - Under the Homelessness ,etc. (Scotland Act) 2003, councils are obliged to provide housing for all Scotland’s population. This change in the law increased the rights of citizens in terms of their right to housing and represents a widening of welfare state support. Given the extent of homelessness /shortage of social housing in Scotland, until 2012 councils will continue to be able to prioritise different groups for either a council house or where this is not possible, temporary accommodation. Notes: In 2007, the Scottish Government announced its intention to increase the availability of new council houses by increasing the building programme from more than 25,000 new houses per year. In 2009, the SG also stated its intention to end the ‘right to buy’ option of council tenants.

10. Back to Slide 3a The Welfare State 8a. Welfare State Support - Definitions of Unemployment For information: Definitions of Unemployment There are two definitions of unemployment that are widely used in the UK: 1. Claimant Count - This definition of unemployment is based on the number of people claiming JSA. The claimant count in August 2009 was 1.63m. Unemployed people in this group must be ‘available for work’, ‘actively seeking work’ and ‘claiming benefit’. 2. Labour Force Survey - The Government’s and the internationally preferred measurement of unemployment is based on a representative survey of households across the country. According to the ILO, unemployment in August 2009 was 2.47m or 7.9% of the workforce.

11. Back to Slide 3 The Welfare State 8b. Welfare State Support - Definition of means-tested For information: Definition of means-tested To qualify for most social security payments applicants must satisfy a ‘means-test’. Your means are any income you or your spouse/partner have or property (except your family home) or an asset which could bring in money to provide you with an income. Means-testing is applied to a range of support including: • Income-based JSA • Housing Benefit • Child Tax Credit • Social Fund • Pension Credit • Council Tax Benefit • Income Support • Working Tax Credit

12. Back to Slide 5 The Welfare State 8c. Selected Welfare State Support - Original Aims of the NHS The Sick When the NHS was set up in 1948 it had five founding principles: • ‘Free at the point of need’ - No upfront charges • Universal - Available to all irrespective of age, class, etc. • Comprehensive - Covering all areas of health • High Quality - To be the best in the world • Freedom - Staff & patients to have choice within system

13. The Welfare State Activities 1. Explain what is meant by the terms ‘universal’ and ‘means-tested’. 2. The UK operates a liberal model of welfare support. What principle is behind the ‘liberal model’ of welfare support? 3. Choose two groups from unemployed, families with children, the sick or pensioners, then describe the types of benefits to which these groups are entitled. Use spider diagrams if helpful. 4. What is the difference between the ‘Claimant Count’ and the ‘Labour Force Survey’ definitions of unemployment? 5. Write out the five founding principles of the NHS?