The link between well being and welfare? Austerity and equality

 Social workers code of practice and code of ethics: key principles  Agents of change- agitators for improvement  Prevention: support and intervention at the point where people can make their own changes- wellbeing and social welfare  Recovery, adult care, children and family services: local resources for local people  Equality

 Section 12 of the Social Work (Scotland Act) 1968:  The statutory duty laid upon every local authority  to promote social welfare  by providing advice, guidance and assistance  on such a scale as may be appropriate for their area.

 Moreover, the duty is not merely that of reacting to known needs. It implies that the local authority should  seek out existing needs which have not been brought to the authority’s attention, identify incipient needs, and try to influence social and environmental developments in such ways as will not only prevent the creation of social difficulties but will positively lead to the creation of good social conditions.” Circular SW6/ th December 1968, para. 7  “Social welfare” includes the welfare of individual people, of families and of communities. Indeed the welfare of individuals and families depends to some extent on how they fit into the various communities of which they are members and the welfare of a community can to some extent be measured by the success with which the community caters for the interests of individuals and families within it.” Circular SW11/ th September 1969, para. 2 so …. 

‘Increase fairness between recipients & taxpayers’ Third Principle of 21st Century Welfare - BUT All UK Taxes % Gross Income, Income tax & NI contri % Council tax % Indirect tax % All Taxes % All Top fifth Bottom fifth

consists in so plucking the goose as to obtain the largest amount of feathers with the least amount of hissing’ (Jean Baptiste Colbert, Finance Minister to Louis XIV of France, ). No Scandinavian welfare possible with American taxes - but we don’t even collect all taxes due. Avoidance, evasion and ‘avoision’ galore supported by tax havens through & to companies in present and past British colonies (Richard Murphy, Tax Justice Network). There are two sides to redistribution – focus on only one weakens support for the universal welfare state, as do the benefits from its alternatives.

‘Excessive inequality is corrosive to growth; it is corrosive to society: the economics profession and the policy community have downplayed inequality for too long. Now all of us - including the IMF - have a better understanding that a more equal distribution of income allows for more economic stability, more sustained economic growth, and healthier societies with stronger bonds of cohesion and trust. The research reaffirms this finding.’ Christine Lagarde, IMF, 2013 – IMF long one of the ‘market first’leaders. Redistribution good & it works.

The Spirit Level: Why More Equal Societies Almost Always Do Better, Richard Wilkinson & Kate Pickett - and for the poorest best of all. Examines 11 health and social problems: physical health - mental health - drug abuse education - imprisonment - obesity - social mobility - trust and community life violence - teenage births - child well-being. ‘For all eleven, outcomes are very substantially worse in more unequal societies.’ Centrality of structural factors and the importance of universal policies with ‘upstream’ aims & better prevention. Latest data at

 Thank you !  Trisha Hall  Social worker, Manager SASW   Princes House  5 Shandwick Place  Edinburgh EH2 4RG