From Beveridge to Blair

The creation of Britain's welfare state in 1948 was an event of major international importance. This study offers an introduction to the evolution of both the structure of the welfare state and attitudes towards it. It concentrates on five core services: health care, education, social security, the personal social services and housing.

For each service, it examines the original vision, the attempts to implement this vision, the resulting complexities and controversies and, above all, the impact on individual "customers".

A wide range of documentary evidence is used, including published and unpublished government sources, political memoirs, newspaper exposés and personal testimony.

Whether you're a student of history, politics, or social policy, From Beveridge to Blair provides valuable insights into the development and challenges of the British welfare state.