Welfare dependency: who benefits?
The welfare state was once celebrated as a keystone of post-war Britain, but while the NHS and state education are still widely valued, state benefits are now accused of fostering a dependency culture which traps people. With cuts in public spending looming as the recession bites, and yet more people likely to need state support, should the focus be on cash for those who need it, or more intensive intervention to get people working? At this Battle of Ideas festival panel debate, speakers include: social policy writer Dave Clements; journalist Rowenna Davis; director of think tank Reform, Andrew Haldenby; and Policy and Membership director at DrugScope, Dr Marcus Roberts.
Recommended links:
- Article by Michael Portillo: Idle young should be entitled to nothing
- Article by Jenni Russell: Some talk about welfare to work.
- Article by Dave Clements: Welfare State – the new dependency
Related topics: Debates, Economy, Social Change
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Carol said:
With 2.4 million people unemployed and only something like 800,000 jobs available, people are having to depend on benefits. The vast majority of people wouldn’t choose to be on them and I don’t know anybody that does choose to struggle to survive on benefits rather than work and have money in their pocket.
I also watched ‘Fact Finder: Unemployment in London’ and was surprised to find out that even more than the ‘official’ 2.4 million are unemployed; some people are not entitled to claim, which to me, goes to show that most don’t choose this way of life.
Demi said:
I think people are dependent on the welfare state. I know some people who, long ago, do not mind that they are unemployed because they know they have the JobSeekers Allowance to keep them going. THe tax payers do not benefit from this as they are obviously workig
And wilth alll the cuts in the civil service, I do wonder if the governement do try and intervene by getting more and more people working – how is there cuts achieving this?