Social Welfare

The United Kingdom has one of the most extensive social welfare programs in Europe.These programs were greatly expanded after World WarⅡwith the passage of series of laws by the Labor government.This legislation became the foundation of the“welfare state”，in which the government assumes partial responsibility for the well⁃being of its citizens throughout their lives.Key elements of the welfare state include social security，the National Health Service，the housing program，education and personal services.

The social security system was established in 1948 on the basis of compulsory insurance.All citizens with a job are required to contribute a certain amount of their income to the national insurance system;their employers supplement a considerable part of the cost;and the state covers the balance of the total cost.In return for their contributions，citizens are entitled to a retirement pension starting between the age of 61 and 68，depending on when someone was born and whether they are male or female.However，people can choose to work beyond the state pension age.Most businesses don’t set a compulsory retirement age，so employees can often arrange the timing of their retirement with their employers.British citizens are also entitled to cash benefits in the event of unemployment or sickness.The duration of these benefits is determined by the number of contributions paid，and the amount is calculated based on a percentage of previous wages.Besides these，there are many other categories of service that the government provides for people who need them，such as child benefits，widow’s pensions，and so forth.

The National Health Service（NHS）is another important element of the welfare system.Founded in 1948，it provides free medical care to every man，woman and child who needs it.The only exceptions are requirements for patients to pay part of the costs of dental work，eyeglasses and prescribed medicines（although children，elderly pensioners and people below a certain income level are exempted from these payments）.Doctors join the program on a voluntary basis，but about 98％ of the doctors throughout the country have chosen to participate.About 2，500 hospitals provide medical care and treatment to patients completely free of charge.Doctors are given a basic practice allowance by the state，as well as payment to their staff and capitation grants for each of the patients they treat.If their patients are over the age of 65，or if they make night visits or practice in areas where there are few doctors，then they receive higher fees.The cost of the National Health Service is shared by the central and local governments.

Local governments are legally obliged to offer maternity and child⁃welfare services and care and aftercare of illness.They are also required provide ambulance services and to build and maintain local health centers.

With the 1998 devolution of powers，control over most aspects of the NHS was passed to the new national governments in Scotland，Northern Ireland and Wales.The NHS in England also underwent extensive reorganization after David Cameron’s coalition government passed the Health and Social Care Act of 2012，which transferred much of the responsibility and funding for the NHS from the government to private sector groups.

Housing is another important part of the welfare state.Local governments built many homes after World WarⅡthat were known as Council Houses，and leased them to low⁃income families at very cheap rents.Council houses accounted for about 30％ of all homes in the country at one time.Local governments also provide help with housing costs to those with low incomes.

Many of these welfare state programs were severely criticized by Margaret Thatcher’s Conservative government.Thatcher believed that the programs were too expensive to maintain，and that excessive state support would weaken individual initiative and enterprise.Her government encouraged people to become self⁃reliant by making provisions for themselves and their families，and not to become dependent on welfare.For example，one thing the Thatcher government did to end that was to offer the residents of Council Houses the opportunity to buy their rented homes at low prices.

In spite of criticism from the Conservative Party and its supporters，the majority of the British people continued to consider the National Health Service and the Social Security system to be good programs，and was reluctant to give them up.As a result，no major changes were made to most welfare state programs even in the Thatcher years.It was not until 1997 that Tony Blair and his New Labor Party began to make some substantial changes，including requiring people receiving unemployment benefits to choose one of several options aimed at returning them to the workforce，including working for a non⁃profit organization or undertaking a year of free full⁃time job training.People who declined to participate in any of the options risked having their unemployment benefits revoked.

Britain’s welfare system features a combination of public and private provision.Those who can afford to do so are able to provide for their own health and retirement by buying insurance policies from private underwriters;about 7 million people now have private medical insurance.But public provision remains widely available to the rest of the population.