Welfare System and Poverty in the UK

This essay will consider whether the welfare state has eliminated poverty. It will examine what poverty is and how the definition varies from societies. The essay will look at the aims of the welfare state from conception and how it has changed to present times. The welfare state being analysed is the welfare state in the United Kingdom. It will discuss the nature of the social democratic welfare state and liberal criticisms of the problems this type of state brings. The recent changes to the welfare state will be reviewed and what the consequences of the changes may be. It will then look at recent statistics to determine whether the welfare state has eradicated poverty.

Poverty is a difficult condition to define because it is often used to mean different things by different people. The United Nations definition states that ‘... poverty is a denial of choices and opportunities, a violation of human dignity. It means lack of basic capacity to participate in society….it often implies living on marginal or fragile environments, without access to clean water or sanitation’ (UN statement, 1998). Poverty is generally split into two types; absolute and relative.

Absolute poverty can be defined in different ways but, regardless of the definition, it is generally agreed that is in an intolerable situation that requires action to reverse (Schwartzman, 1997). Absolute poverty can be described as ‘a condition characterised by severe deprivation of basic human needs, including food, safe drinking water, sanitation, facilities, health, shelter, education and information’ (World Summit on Social Development, 1995). The UN measures absolute poverty by a lack of two or more deprivations of human basic need. The needs are; food, safe drinking w...

... middle of paper ...

... will still leave more than 12 million in poverty though the indirect consequences of reform may prove to offer further help to those living below the poverty line.

In many ways the welfare state has succeeded in bringing about a fairer society at the most basic level. All citizens are entitled to free education, health care, and benefits when needed, which are the most fundamental needs. Liberals might argue that the welfare state has, in fact, worked too well by creating a society in which one can choose whether or not to work and still be given a decent standard of living while contributing nothing to the overall standard of society. Beyond this, it can be argued, the welfare state has failed. The UK is the fifth richest country in the world (www.worldsrichestcountries.com) yet still struggles with raising a large percentage of its citizens out of poverty.