The welfare state

welfare state

noun

1.    1.

a system whereby the state undertakes to protect the health and well-being of its citizens, especially those in financial or social need, by means of grants, pensions, and other benefits. The foundations for the modern welfare state in the UK were laid by the Beveridge Report of 1942; proposals such as the establishment of a National Health Service and the National Insurance Scheme were implemented by the Labour administration in 1948.

A worthy aim and one we should continue, however what was considered welfare then is not what we consider it to be now.  The world has changed and while our definition of the support the welfare state provides has galloped forward, in reality it has progressed further than it should have and yet not as far as the expectations that people have of it.  It needs realigned both in its intent and to take into account of what is a reasonable modern standard of living.

So what are we talking about?  The media grabbing welfare state is all about employment benefits and hand outs to those no longer worthy.  It’s all about the money. Show me the money.  However the reality is very different when you see the figures, unemployment allowances account for virtually nothing.  In fact if you take out Housing allowances, HMRC tax credits( working people) and Child Benefit, all the other items are small fish.  Don’t get me wrong, the small fish are still 38 billion pounds worth of benefits and there are probably arguments why at least 25% of them shouldn’t be paid. 

Benefit fraud is set at 1.6 billion against tax fraud of 30 billion.  Let’s be very clear here, the 30 billion does not make the 1.6 billion acceptable, they are both wrong, benefit fraud is stealing, tax fraud is illegal.  They are two completely separate issues, using one to justify the other is what stupid people do.

In reality, the welfare state is just about right, but not quite.  In my opinion and I stress this is an opinion, there should be a two tier welfare state.  My reasons for this are quite simple, the world has changed and the original vision doesn’t hold.  That original vision of a safety net for those with no income no longer supports our modern society where those with an income need a little help too.  This should be linked to a standard of living, one where working benefits you and not working allows you to survive.

So what is this realignment of the welfare state?  Well there is a significant difference in what was an acceptable standard of living back then compared to now.  As a society we need to agree what is the bear minimum we are prepared to accept and fund for our society but also what are we prepared to pay a little extra for.

For what it’s worth my opinion is everyone should be able to have a roof over their head and put food on the table, but if you are working there should be extras.  When I say extras I mean nice stuff, every family should be able to go out once a month, somewhere nice, broadband should be a given, basic tv package a given, clothing allowances, nice place to live that fits your family.  If you are working, regardless of the job, you should be afforded a decent but minimal standard of living.

So what do the unemployed get? The unemployed get picked up by the welfare state, the bare minimum to survive, a roof over their heads, enough food to live off. It should be what it always was designed to be.  Just enough.