1. Attitudes to the State and dealing with inequality Findings from the British Social Attitudes survey Liz Clery, June 2012

2. 1 Contents British Social Attitudes survey Government’s role in reducing inequality Redistribution Welfare Attitudes to the welfare state Benefit levels Benefit recipients How the benefit system can be improved.

3. 2 British Social Attitudes 1..

4. 3 British Social Attitudes Aims Measures attitudes to social, moral and political issues Explores consistency, nuances How attitudes vary Explores change over time Data collected most years since 1983 Emphasis on repeating questions Dissemination of findings and data Attitudes to inequality and welfare Questions included regularly since early 1980s

5. The Government’s role in reducing inequality 2.

6. 5 No consensus regarding Government role Majority recognise income differences too large. Around three-quarters think this. View has reduced since high point in 1990s. No consensus government should redistribute income. Slightly more than one-third support redistribution. Support has declined since mid 1990s.

7. 6 Public worry about inequality but less likely to support redistribution

8. 7 Most recognise government should be responsible for welfare Who should mainly be responsible for… …ensuring people have enough to live on if they become unemployed? …ensuring people have enough to live on in retirement? …paying for the cost of healthcare if someone is ill? …ensuring people have enough to live on if they become sick for a long time or disabled? Mainly government Mainly a person’s employer Mainly a person themselves and their family

9. 8 Who should mainly be responsible for providing welfare? Government Employers Individuals / families

10. 9 Govt should mainly be responsible for welfare….

11. 10 Attitudes to welfare spending 3.

12. 11 Understanding attitudes to welfare spending Influenced by broader attitudes. Views on government tax and spending in general Perceptions of where more and less spending is needed May not be consistent. Different elements of welfare system. Attitudes to benefit levels influenced by actual levels.

13. 12 Attitudes to taxation and spending

14. 13 First and second priorities for extra government spending

15. 14 Declining support for extra spending on social security

16. 15 Priorities for extra spending on social benefits

17. 16 Increasing view unemployment benefits are too high

18. 17 Should government spend more on welfare benefits?

19. 18 Attitudes to welfare recipients 4.

20. 19 Understanding attitudes to welfare recipients Are they considered deserving of help? Many people who get social security don’t really deserve any help. Around here, most unemployed people could find a job if they really wanted one. Most people on the dole are fiddling in one way or another.

21. 20 Perceptions of benefit recipients Agree Neither agree nor disagree Disagree

22. 21 Recipients increasingly seen as undeserving

23. 22 Understanding attitudes to welfare recipients Does the welfare system help them and society? Creation of welfare state one of Britain’s proudest achievements. If benefits were less generous, people would learn to stand on their own two feet The welfare state encourages people to stop helping each other.

24. 23 Attitudes to welfare state growing more negative

25. 24 How should the welfare system be improved? 5.

26. 25 Priorities to improve existing system Making sure those who are entitled to money claim it Targeting benefits only at those who really need them Awarding those who work or look for work Making sure those who save are not penalised Providing benefits for those who cannot work Making sure payments are fast and accurate Reducing fraud

27. 26 Improving the benefits system – the public’s priorities 1 st priority 1 st or 2 nd priority

28. 27 Improving the benefits system: change over time

29. 28 Attitudes to the State and dealing with inequality Govt role viewed as providing support, rather than redistributing wealth. Not a priority for extra spending growing view less money could be spent. Welfare recipients increasingly seen as not deserving Reflected in priorities for reforming existing system. Welfare State viewed as inhibiting other solutions.

30. 29 If you want further information or would like to contact the author, Liz Clery Research Director T. 020 7549 7071 E. liz.clery@natcen.ac.uk Visit us online, www.natcen.ac.uk Thank you