In this thought-provoking book, Paul Spicker challenges readers to rethink social security benefits in Britain. Putting a case for reform of the system, Spicker argues that most of the criticisms made of social security benefits – that spending is out of control, that it has led to mushrooming dependency, that it fails to get people into work, and that the system is riddled with fraud – are misconceived.
Addressing those misconceptions, Spicker assesses the real problems with the system, related to its size, its complexity, the expectation that benefits agencies should know everything, and the determination to ‘personalise’ benefits for millions of people. This stimulating short book is a valuable introduction to social security in Britain and the potential for its reform.
For more from the author on social security and social policy visit blog.spicker.uk.
Tabela de Conteúdo
Understanding social security;
Misunderstanding social security;
The real problems;
How much is enough?;
Reforming key benefits;
Changing the benefits system.
Sobre o autor
Paul Spicker is Emeritus Professor of Public Policy at the Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen. His research has included studies of poverty, need, disadvantage and service delivery. His books on social policy for Policy Press have discussed poverty, social security and the theory of social policy, and include a leading textbook, ‘Social Policy: Theory and Practice’.
Mais ebooks do mesmo autor(es) / Editor
118.237 Ebooks nesta categoria
