Policy Press
Eight Social security under the coalition and Conservatives: shredding the system for people of working age; privileging pensioners
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Abstract
This chapter considers the changes made to social security (‘welfare’) during the coalition government and the early days of the Conservative government. It makes clear that while the size of the social security budget made it a clear target for a government determined to reduce public expenditure, policy was driven by ideology in terms of attempting to change individual behaviour and reducing the role of the state. The chapter argues that while there were some elements of continuity with the New Labour governments (for example in relation to WHAT), there was also radical change (such as the introduction of benefit caps and the effective abandoning of the commitment to reduce child poverty). However, older people saw the state pension being protected by a ‘triple lock’. It suggests that the neo-liberal project was being further intensified by the Conservative government elected in 2015.
Abstract
This chapter considers the changes made to social security (‘welfare’) during the coalition government and the early days of the Conservative government. It makes clear that while the size of the social security budget made it a clear target for a government determined to reduce public expenditure, policy was driven by ideology in terms of attempting to change individual behaviour and reducing the role of the state. The chapter argues that while there were some elements of continuity with the New Labour governments (for example in relation to WHAT), there was also radical change (such as the introduction of benefit caps and the effective abandoning of the commitment to reduce child poverty). However, older people saw the state pension being protected by a ‘triple lock’. It suggests that the neo-liberal project was being further intensified by the Conservative government elected in 2015.
Chapters in this book
- Front Matter i
- Contents iii
- Notes on contributors v
- The transformation of the welfare state? The Conservative–Liberal Democrat coalition government and social policy 1
- The coalition government, public spending and social policy 27
- The changing governance of social policy 53
- The coalition, social policy and public opinion 79
- Health policy and the coalition government 99
- The coalition government, the general election and the policy ratchet in education: a reflection on the ‘ghosts’ of policy past, present and yet to come 127
- Coalition housing policy in England 153
- Social security under the coalition and Conservatives: shredding the system for people of working age; privileging pensioners 179
- Welfare and active labour market policies in the UK: the coalition government approach 201
- ‘It ain’t what you do, it’s the way that you do it’: adult social care under the coalition 221
- Family policy: the Mods and Rockers 243
- One step forward, two steps back: children, young people and the Conservative–Liberal Democrat coalition 265
- The coalition and criminal justice 285
- Equalities: the impact of welfare reform and austerity by gender, disability and age 309
- Social policy, the devolved administrations and the UK coalition government 325
- Conclusions 247
- Index 371
Chapters in this book
- Front Matter i
- Contents iii
- Notes on contributors v
- The transformation of the welfare state? The Conservative–Liberal Democrat coalition government and social policy 1
- The coalition government, public spending and social policy 27
- The changing governance of social policy 53
- The coalition, social policy and public opinion 79
- Health policy and the coalition government 99
- The coalition government, the general election and the policy ratchet in education: a reflection on the ‘ghosts’ of policy past, present and yet to come 127
- Coalition housing policy in England 153
- Social security under the coalition and Conservatives: shredding the system for people of working age; privileging pensioners 179
- Welfare and active labour market policies in the UK: the coalition government approach 201
- ‘It ain’t what you do, it’s the way that you do it’: adult social care under the coalition 221
- Family policy: the Mods and Rockers 243
- One step forward, two steps back: children, young people and the Conservative–Liberal Democrat coalition 265
- The coalition and criminal justice 285
- Equalities: the impact of welfare reform and austerity by gender, disability and age 309
- Social policy, the devolved administrations and the UK coalition government 325
- Conclusions 247
- Index 371
