You need to distinguish between the two main types of welfare benefits; universal and selective. UNIVERSAL SELECTIVE Universal benefits are provided to all Selective benefits are provided on the basis regardless of a claimant’s financial status. of a claimant’s income and circumstance. An One example is child benefit, which is paid example of a selective benefit is the Child out to all families with children regardless of Tax Credit. income and wealth. Welfare benefits and services are usually provided by the state, but an increasing range of services are also provided by the third sector, and private firms. The STATE The THIRD SECTOR The PRIVATE SECTOR The government provides The third sector consists of Private hospitals are both selective and universal charities and not-for-profit sometimes used to treat NHS benefits via the welfare organisations; such as the patients. The government state Specialist Schools and also works with the private Academies Trust. sector in schemes funded by the Private Finance Initiative. There is a debate amongst sociologists over the desirability of welfare provision. Those who defend the welfare state in terms of providing basic wants and needs, and for ensuring some degree of equality within society, tend to be on the left of the political spectrum. In contrast, the main criticisms of the welfare state in recent years tend to derive from the New Right, who argue that the welfare state; Is inefficient. Undermines personal initiative. Creates a culture of dependency. Leads to high levels of taxation, which damages the economy. The New Right has itself been criticised for blaming the poor for their own problems. However, the arguments put forward by the New Right were highly influential during the 1980s and 1990s under the Conservative governments of Mrs. Thatcher and John Major. Since Labour gained power in 1997, the influence of the New Right has declined.
You need to distinguish between the two main types of welfare benefits; universal and selective. UNIVERSAL SELECTIVE Universal benefits are provided to all regardless of a claimant’s financial status. One example is child benefit, which is paid out to all families with children regardless of income and wealth. Selective benefits are provided on the basis of a claimant’s income and circumstance. An example of a selective benefit is the Child Tax Credit. Welfare benefits and services are usually provided by the state, but an increasing range of services are also provided by the third sector, and private firms. The STATE The THIRD SECTOR The PRIVATE SECTOR The government provides both selective and universal benefits via the welfare state The third sector consists of charities and not-for-profit organisations; such as the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust. Private hospitals are sometimes used to treat NHS patients. The government also works with the private sector in schemes funded by the Private Finance Initiative. There is a debate amongst sociologists over the desirability of welfare provision. Those who defend the welfare state in terms of providing basic wants and needs, and for ensuring some degree of equality within society, tend to be on the left of the political spectrum. In contrast, the main criticisms of the welfare state in recent years tend to derive from the New Right, who argue that the welfare state; Is inefficient. Undermines personal initiative. Creates a culture of dependency. Leads to high levels of taxation, which damages the economy. The New Right has itself been criticised for blaming the poor for their own problems. However, the arguments put forward by the New Right were highly influential during the 1980s and 1990s under the Conservative governments of Mrs. Thatcher and John Major. Since Labour gained power in 1997, the influence of the New Right has declined.