HEALTH & SOCIAL SECURITY IN UK

Medical care in the nineteenth century was principally private or voluntary. However, sickness was s a primary cause of pauperism, and the Poor Law authorities began to develop ‘infirmaries’ for sick people. The number of infirmaries grew rapidly after the foundation of the Local Government Board.

Responsibility for health provision lies with the Department of Health in England, the Scottish Executive, the National Assembly inWales and the North Ireland executive. In 1948, the United Kingdom passed the National Service Act that provided free physician and hospital services to all people resident in the United Kingdom. It has been amended from time to time, but is largely intact. About 86% of prescriptions are provided free to people who satisfy certain criteria such as low income or permanent disabilities. Private health services are also available, and are paid for largely by private insurance, but are used only by a small percentage of the population.                          

Specialist hospitals’ expertise is recognized internationally. These include:  Great Ormond Street, London, Moor fields London {Eye Hospital} Royal London homeopathic hospital. The voluntary sector is supported by government funding and private donations. Numerous organizations across the UK fund research and support those suffering from particular conditions.

In the UK the first contributory pension scheme was enacted in 1911. Subsequently, the Beveridge Report of 1942 offered the main alternative model. Social security is seen as providing assistance to retired workers. Social security is applied through various programs designed to provide a population with income at times when they are unable to care for themselves.

 In the UK17 percent of households live on low incomes. Three in five UK families receive some kind of benefit:

- Child benefit- available to all families once their children are recorded at the local registry office. Child benefit is flat rate not age-related. It is paid to the mother, who may have no other income.
- Income support and housing benefit- payable to people on low incomes.
- Pensions- a state pension is payable to those that contribute through national insurance deductions from their salaries or wages.

Unemployment was initially provided for through the Beveridge scheme. As long term unemployment grew in the 1970s and early 1980s, unemployed people became increasingly dependent either on income support or on alternative benefits, such as benefits for incapacity or single parenthood.