Advantages And Disadvantages Of Welfare System

What springs to your mind when you hear the word “Benefits”? Support? Corruption? Greed? Or an equal and fair society? The welfare system was founded in Britain over seventy years ago. It was originally created by the Labour government and intended to end poverty and inequalities. There are many people living in Britain today who legitimately qualify for benefits for a number of reasons including disability, unemployment and childcare needs. Some have argued that the introduction of the Benefits system has narrowed the gap between the rich and poor. Benefits do ensure each UK resident a basic standard of living in times of hardship. Unfortunately, over the years, this system has expanded and consequently it is open to exploitation and abuse. I feel it is necessary to explore and evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of the benefits system in the UK in order to come to a conclusion on whether this is a fair system for everyone.

The main reason the welfare system is functioning in Britain is to help millions of people who have been made unemployed in recent times through no fault of their own. In our current society, Britain’s increasing recession has caused hundreds of businesses and organisations to go bust. In turn, a large number of people have been made redundant because of the rise in companies going out of business. The struggle to earn money and get a secure and well paid job is becoming more difficult. Luckily, Britain’s welfare system pays out a sum of money to people who are unemployed as unemployment benefit or job seekers allowance. Claimants receive a sum of around £56.80 weekly at present and are also required to visit the job centre every two weeks to prove that they are in search of a new job. This...

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... Weighing up both sides of the argument, the benefits system has both its advantages and disadvantages. Without benefits, many people today may not have been as successful or as happy if it were not for that extra bit of money to get them through the week. The quality of life of thousands of people has dramatically increased since the establishment of the welfare state. Although there are many weaknesses present in this system, such as the small percentage of false claims and the negative social attitudes, it is clearly still a worthwhile system. After all, a clear sign of a caring society is one that looks after the vulnerable people who need assistance. Overall, the Benefits system is a fair system as the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. It has created a more equal and fair society in our country and assisted millions of people in times of hardship.