TOPIC 8 _ THE WELFARE

A. WELFARE
I. THE BENEFITS SYSTEM
_ People are helped by direct payments of government money.
+ the Department of Social Security: adults who cannot find paid work & fam. whose
total
Income is not enough for its basic needs à entitled for financial help.
+ the Department of Employment: unemployment benefit _ “the dole” (p.169) 7 old-age
pension _ greatest proportion of the money the government spends on benefits.
_ A life insurance policy can also be a form of saving.
_ Some peo. entitled to neither pension nor unemployment benefit (b/c they have not
previously worked for long enough or b/c they have been unemployed for a long time) à
applying for income support (supplementary benefit) if no significant savings.
_ Income support _ paid to those with paid work but they need extra money: particularly large
fam. or earning esp. low.
_ Child benefit: a small weekly payment for each child & paid directly to mothers.
_ Housing benefit: (distributed by the local authority) help with rent payments.
_ Sickness benefit, maternity benefit, death grants (to cover funeral expenses).
_ Weaknesses: people entitled to various benefits but do not receive them _ not understand the
complicated system & not know what they are entitled to & too proud to apply.
_ Claiming income support _ subjecting oneself to a “means test” _ an official investigation
into one’s financial state à much of an invasion of their privacy & other find that they can get
a higher income (through claiming the dole and other benefits) when not working than they can
when they are employed.
_ The whole social security system _ under increasing pressure b/c of the rising number of
unemployed people and pensioners.

II. SOCIAL SERVICE AND CHARITIES

_ Gov. give financial help & look after people’s welfare _ local gov. directly and indirectly run
the services _ e.g. old people’s homes & home helps (for disabled people)
_ Professional social workers _ identifying & helping: the old, the mentally handicapped,
neglected or ill-treated children. Social workers _ valuable work & thankless task.
_ Bf. the establish. of the welfare state, the poor & the needy turned to charitable orga. for
help.
_ Today, a large number of charities offer help to large sections of the public in various way.
_ Charities and social services departments of local authorities sometimes co-operate, e.g.
“meals-on-wheels” system & Citizen Advice Bureau (CAB).
III. THE NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE
_ The NHS: a jewel in the crown of the welfare state.
+ “un-British” in the uniformity and comprehensiveness of its organization.
The system _ centrally organized & little interaction with the private sector.
Medical insurance _ organized by the gov. and compulsory.
+ “typically British” in its avoidance of bureaucracy _ the system à beautifully simple
People just register with a local NHS doctor (a GP). A visit to the GP _ 1st step to any
kind of treatment & GP arranges for whatever tests, surgery, specialist consultation or
medicine considered necessary.
_ Difficulties of NHS: the potential of medical treatment has increased & costs have rocketed.
_ Last quarter of 20th C., the British gov. has implemented reforms to make NHS more cost-
effective. (how ? textb. _ p.171)
Bf : GPs paid by # _ consultations made.
Aft : “ “ “ # _ patients registered à get a “capitation” allowance for ea one.
( NHS capitation system )

IV. THE MEDICAL PROFESSION

_ Doctors: high status & specialist doctors: greater prestige than ordinary GPs, with hospital
ranking highest & allowed to work part-time for the NHS & earning big fees fr. private
patients.
_ Most GPs work in a “group practice” = in the same building as several other GPs à share
facilities, e.g. waiting rooms, receptionists.
_ Each patient _ registered with one doctor in the practice & if his/her doctor _ unavailabe à
seen by the doctor’s colleagues.
_ Nursing profession _ rather badly paid & high turnover of nursing staff.

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