How social security works: an introduction to benefits in Britain.

Spicker, Paul

Abstract

How social security works is an introduction to the much-misunderstood system of benefits in Britain. The book is an accessible, broadly based and sometimes controversial text which can help readers to make sense of the system in practice. It explains the guiding principles, outlines the social context, considers the development and political dimensions of benefits, and reviews how the system operates now. There are detailed discussions of the types of benefit, and the contingencies covered by the benefits system. The author examines whether the system offers value for money, how it could be simplified and how it can be improved. The book will be useful to students on undergraduate and professional courses, but beyond that it will appeal to policy makers, practitioners and a broader general readership.

Citation

SPICKER, P. 2011. How social security works: an introduction to benefits in Britain. Bristol: Policy Press [online]. Available from: https://doi.org/10.51952/9781447342854

• Book Type: Authored Book
• Online Publication Date: Jan 19, 2011
• Publication Date: Jan 19, 2011
• Deposit Date: Jan 31, 2025
• Publicly Available Date: Feb 6, 2025
• Publisher: Policy Press
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• ISBN: 9781847428110; 9781847428103
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.51952/9781447342854
• Keywords: Social security; Welfare state; Politics; Benefits; Pensions; Poverty
• Public URL: https://rgu-repository.worktribe.com/output/2675634
• Publisher URL: https://policy.bristoluniversitypress.co.uk/how-social-security-works
• Additional Information: This is a post-peer-review, pre-copy edited version of an example chapter published in "How Social Security Works". The definitive publisher-authenticated version SPICKER, P. 2011. How social security works: an introduction to benefits in Britain. Bristol: Policy Press is available online at: https://policy.bristoluniversitypress.co.uk/how-social-security-works