This is the last lecture of the British Civilisation program. It covers the origins and developments of the welfare system, as well as current issues in health, education and other social programs.

1. The Welfare State

2. The War: Equality of Sacrifice
 Both rich and poor suffered from
bombs
 Civilians lost their lives
 Homes were destroyed
 Rationing applied to everyone,
regardless of social class
 Women and men of all classes did
war work together

3. The Welfare State
 After the war, William
Beveridge identified five
issues that needed to be
tackled to make a better
Britain: 5 giants
 To achieve his aims,
Beveridge proposed the
introduction of a welfare
state.

4. The Five Giants & the creation
of the Welfare State

5. The Five Giants
Beveridge slaying the 5 G’s

6. Founding Principles of Welfare State
 Ignorance
 Squalor
 Idleness
 Want
 Disease
 Education
 Housing
 Employment
 Income
 Health

7. Welfare state: the government plays a key
role in the protection and promotion of the
economic and social well-being of its
citizens.
The Beveridge Report started the Welfare
State in Britain in 1945 to address each of
the 5 Giants.
It would provide security ‘from the cradle to
the grave’.

8. Squalor/Housing
 Council housing introduced at the
end of the nineteenth Century but
high demand and slums
 Housing provided by local authorities
& setting up of new towns in the
coutnryside
 made sure that anyone who could
not afford to buy or wish to buy,
could have a comfortable home.

9. Squalor/Housing
 However, worrying
lack of available
council housing
throughout the
country.
 In Scotland alone, last year, 142,000
households were on waiting lists for social
housing.

10. Ignorance/Education
 Secondary education was only available to
those who could pay or who passed a
scholarship at the age of 11.
 Most children left school at the end of
elementary education when they were 14.

11. Ignorance/Education
 1944 education act
 Leaving age up from 14 to 15.
 All children get secondary education
without paying fees.
However
 Student debt levels are rising
 School dropouts rate higher in
certain communities or places
 Education quality differs according to
social class and income

12. Idleness/Employment
 After the war, there was work for
everyone as Britain rebuilt itself.
 By 1946, unemployment was
reduced to 2.5 %
 However huge post-war problems
such as shortages of raw materials
and massive war debts.

13. Idleness/Employment
 Government nationalised some
industries and supported industries in
high areas of unemployment.
– Nationalized coal mines, railways…
 Objective : providing full employment
for all working age citizens.
 Unemployment benefits (to be held to
a subsistence level), now called
Jobseeker’s Allowance

14. Disease/Health
 A National Health
Service was set up
‘free at the point of
use’ and available to
all.

15. The NHS 1948
 Principles:
- Free medical services
- Every citizen is
registered with a GP
(General Practitioner)
- Visits to GP are free,
GP’s salary paid by NHS
- Patient goes to GP of
Residence Area
- Symbolic fee for drugs
(5 £)

16. The NHS
 However
- Charges for dental &
ophthalmic care
Problem for patients:
Time factor:
over 18 months for hip or eye
surgery

17. The NHS
Problem for Government:
Cost of the system, modern
medical techniques and
medication.
Ageing population requiring more
medical care.

18. POVERTY:Social Security
 Services :
- Retirement pensions
- Unemployment benefits
- Income support, etc. 5s a week
for each child after the first.
 Developments:
- 1980’s major changes in the
system -> less generous
- Benefits proportionate to
earnings

19. Unemployment vs Jobseeker’s
Allowance

20. Problems
 Unemployment benefit said to
discourage work
 Notion of “Deserving poor”
 Single parents forced back to work
 Less social aids for the poor and the
needy
 Exclusion of the Underclass