The Welfare State – an introduction arningzone/clips/the- welfare-state-pt-1- 4/3655.html

Original Ideals The original ideals of the welfare state, as outlined in the post war Beveridge report were to provide a comprehensive system of social insurance 'from cradle to grave'. It proposed that all working people should pay a weekly contribution to the state. In return, the state would pay benefits would be paid to the unemployed, the sick, the retired and the widowed. Beveridge wanted to ensure that there was an acceptable minimum standard of living in Britain below which nobody fell.

Five Giant Social Evils  Poverty (Want)  Bad Health (Disease)  Lack of education (Ignorance)  Bad housing (Squalor)  Unemployment (Idleness)

New Social Evils?  Racism  Obesity  Drug abuse  Anti-social behaviour  Knife crime

Beveridge’s founding principles were designed in the 1940s. By the 1990s, British society had changed in many ways. How do we pay for: Long term care for the elderly? The long term unemployed? Lone parents? Beveridge’s welfare state could not foresee these challenges!

Left, Lakshmi Mittal, the UK’s richest “resident”. He is a non domicile. Right, Jimmy Carr, the comedian who was criticised by the Prime Minister for his tax avoidance scheme. The UK is home to some fabulously rich people who, due their non-domicile status or clever tax avoidance schemes pay little or no tax. City bonuses to investment bankers have returned. According to George Monbiot, tax avoidance in the United Kingdom deprives the Exchequer of between £25bn and £85bn a year. That’s more than the UK spends on the entire NHS. Tax avoidance

According to George Monbiot, tax avoidance in the United Kingdom deprives the Exchequer of between £25bn and £85bn a year. That’s more than the UK spends on the entire NHS. David Cameron has openly criticised Gary Barlow, Jimmy Carr, Lakshmi Mittal, etc. for tax avoidance schemes and yet only the Government have the ability to change the rules. Concern – if we tighten our tax rules here will we loose all our millionaires and billionaires abroad?

Continued Inequalities Chronic, and growing, wealth and health inequalities. The percentage of the country’s wealth held by the top 10% has increased 41% of Glasgow’s households live in poverty The highest life expectancy in Scotland is to be found in North East Fife (77.6 years on average), whereas in Shettleston in Glasgow, the average life expectancy for men is just under 64.

What is to be done about welfare? How do we get the long term unemployed, many of whom have serious mental health issues, back to work? Unemployment is rising and more job losses are on the way. Can the long-term unemployed really compete in the job market against skilled workers? What should be done to tackle the five evils, plus the many new ones? What about public finances? Can we afford pensions for public sectors? Should people pay more into their pensions schemes and retire later? Should income taxes rise? If so, for who? Are there indirect taxes which should rise or new taxes which should be created? Should taxes be cut? Is it time up for the welfare state? Do we have a “sick society”?