Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Notes on contributors
- One The transformation of the welfare state? The Conservative–Liberal Democrat coalition government and social policy
- Two The coalition government, public spending and social policy
- Three The changing governance of social policy
- Four The coalition, social policy and public opinion
- Five Health policy and the coalition government
- Six The coalition government, the general election and the policy ratchet in education: a reflection on the ‘ghosts’ of policy past, present and yet to come
- Seven Coalition housing policy in England
- Eight Social security under the coalition and Conservatives: shredding the system for people of working age; privileging pensioners
- Nine Welfare and active labour market policies in the UK: the coalition government approach
- Ten ‘It ain’t what you do, it’s the way that you do it’: adult social care under the coalition
- Eleven Family policy: the Mods and Rockers
- Twelve One step forward, two steps back: children, young people and the Conservative–Liberal Democrat coalition
- Thirteen The coalition and criminal justice
- Fourteen Equalities: the impact of welfare reform and austerity by gender, disability and age
- Fifteen Social policy, the devolved administrations and the UK coalition government
- Sixteen Conclusions
- Index
Eight - Social security under the coalition and Conservatives: shredding the system for people of working age; privileging pensioners
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 01 September 2022
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Notes on contributors
- One The transformation of the welfare state? The Conservative–Liberal Democrat coalition government and social policy
- Two The coalition government, public spending and social policy
- Three The changing governance of social policy
- Four The coalition, social policy and public opinion
- Five Health policy and the coalition government
- Six The coalition government, the general election and the policy ratchet in education: a reflection on the ‘ghosts’ of policy past, present and yet to come
- Seven Coalition housing policy in England
- Eight Social security under the coalition and Conservatives: shredding the system for people of working age; privileging pensioners
- Nine Welfare and active labour market policies in the UK: the coalition government approach
- Ten ‘It ain’t what you do, it’s the way that you do it’: adult social care under the coalition
- Eleven Family policy: the Mods and Rockers
- Twelve One step forward, two steps back: children, young people and the Conservative–Liberal Democrat coalition
- Thirteen The coalition and criminal justice
- Fourteen Equalities: the impact of welfare reform and austerity by gender, disability and age
- Fifteen Social policy, the devolved administrations and the UK coalition government
- Sixteen Conclusions
- Index
Summary
Introduction
In this chapter, we consider the changes made to social security – increasingly known as ‘welfare’ – during the period of the Conservative–Liberal Democrat coalition government, and in the early days of the majority Conservative government. First, we set the context in terms of the amount of spending on social security policy. As the largest single budget of any government department, social security was clearly a key target for a coalition government determined to reduce public spending. However, policies were driven not just by fiscal goals, but also ideological aims in terms of changing individual behaviour and reducing the role of the state in preference to the market.
The chapter then gives an overview of the key social security reforms before focusing separately on policies relating to those of working age and those over state pension age. This has become an increasingly important distinction since 2010, with those of working age (whether or not with children) being the key target for reform, leaving pensioners relatively protected from austerity cuts.
The chapter then reviews the impacts of the reforms alongside the key themes of reform, identifying the influence of the Liberal Democrats on coalition policy. It then compares these recent reforms with those of the previous New Labour governments (1997–2010) and the prior Conservative governments (1979–97). We conclude that there is much continuity but also some radical change, not least the introduction of benefit caps and the effective abandonment of policy to reduce child poverty. An intensification of the neoliberal project is further being pursued by the 2015 Conservative majority government.
Background: the 2010 context
Following the 2008 financial crisis, the New Labour government provided the banks with £124 billion in the form of loans or share purchases, which required a transfer of cash from the government to the banks (National Audit Office, 2011). At the same time, social security expenditure was increasing due to rises in unemployment. The coalition government came into power with a key focus on reducing the public sector deficit and national debt. As the largest single budget of any government department, social security spending would be a key target. At £210 billion in 2010/11, or over 13% of gross domestic product (GDP), spending on social security was around twice as large as spending on the National Health Service (NHS).
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- The Coalition Government and Social PolicyRestructuring the Welfare State, pp. 179 - 200Publisher: Bristol University PressPrint publication year: 2016