Current Social Policy Challenges Facing the UK - Essay Example

Current social policy challenges facing the UK Introduction The mature form of the current welfare was created only after the end of the Second World War, a sought of relief after the end of the mid-20th century war. Bryson (1996) certainly looked at the changes that transformed the welfare system in the UK, utilizing the nearly fifty years of experiments and use in installing a proper welfare system in the country. The revolutionary welfare state spearheaded by Beveridge in 1942 was designed to care for every person as a right as opposed to the previous Poor Law that was designed to be residual, and was only a response to poverty. Since this period, the UK and the UK people have changed profoundly, and the major impetus for the change is the demographic dynamics that is matched by a rapid rise in expectations on lifestyles. The demographic dynamics have owed in part to their transformations to changes in medicine and technology. This means that in the UK, and along a general trend amongst the developed nations, life expectancy has been on the ascendancy, for both men and women. Hence, the average age has risen, an occurrence, and a point emphasised by the level to which the level of birth rate has stagnated. Further, the population in the country has been more ethnically diverse because of an en-mass migration of people from mostly the Caribbean, South Asia, and Eastern Europe. The benefits of the social policies even to a hugely capitalistic nation such as the United Kingdom is obvious, and such a discussion has perhaps been overtaken by time, of importance is the changes in life styles and demographic changes and their influence on the social policy, in line with the Beveridge led welfare state. Hence, this paper will provide an intriguing discussion of how the two provide a current challenge to the UK’s social policies. The Changing Face of Demographics According to (Great Britain 2013b) report, the population of people born during the current millennium has a life expectancy of over 100 years, and the number is expected to increase by almost 51 percent; further, the number of people over the age of 85 will double. The problem has slowly been gradual as a result of the rapid economic growth after the Thatcher led economic reconstruction of the UK, and there will be a crisis that will face hospitals, specialists services and elder care homes. It has been argued that the challenge posed by older citizens in the UK has led to a need in reappraising of the function of the state. This is a significant challenge and attached to the constant need to respond to a pattern of problems. This has a close relationship to the perhaps systems change from the centrally controlled welfare scheme that hugely focused on unity and looked for wholesomeness. Neo-liberal model has emerged in present times, and it focuses on the personal forum and diversity, and at the same time disputing the function of the public sector. These changes have been constantly witnessed on grand-national discourses on the social policies for old people, which include pension reform and healthcare. Nonetheless, there are basic principles that underline the apparent system shift are openly debated, and can be contrived in any way, in fact, debates on them are difficult to exhaust. The society in the UK is slowly aging, and as had been stated in the introductory section, it is due to the rapid growth in technology and rapid developments in the field of medicine (Great Britain, 2013b). The changes are have evolved gradually over the years, though they may seem radical from the untrained eye. Further, in the UK, improved transformations in literacy levels, and the shooting economic growths from the Thatcher lead development could in part lead to the currently aged society. The contentment of material things and pressures through growth and in the UK, possibly the personal contentment provided by the welfare state, have facilitated the population to set them off the traditionally modes of behaviour (Mills, 2006). The changing face of demographics has been manifested as the single state, cohabitation, single parenthood, and the drive towards avoidance of parenthood, and these manifestations have become more socially accepted. The irony of the situation facing the United Kingdom is that while the fertility rates have become low, the progress of in medicine, and the general standard of living has immensely raised life expectancy. The lower levels of fertility witnessed in the country together with survival rates in the country are the direct cause of the older population levels, and at certain point in time, the population shall decline further. However, and as had earlier been stated before, migration into the country seem to be offsetting the stagnating the consequences of low fertility levels in the country. Demographic Changes considered on the Backdrop of Social Cohesion Social protection schemes have a vital role in assurance of social cohesion through the provision of income replacement in labour market transitions through eradication of poverty, and provision of healthcare amongst others. The high level of social protection in the United Kingdom is a major factor that easily differentiates social policy in the United Kingdom and other countries such as the United States that provides minimal social support to its citizens. The challenges that confront the UK’s welfare state from the aging population is the financing and cost containment of sufficient pension and health care systems, plus reformation of the entire system to provide for all (Great Britain 2013a). People tend to work for a few years, as they enter the job market late and exit very early and as a result they make very minimal contribution, and yet they live long, and still more people will be dependent on pensions currently than they were in the past. Changes in Lifestyles Further, the social protection system plays a practical role in relation the demographic scene that is not contrived towards interference of an individual’s choice on reproduction, but through the provision of both women and men with the option of rethinking the relationship between their private and professional lives. This argument points out that the fertility rates are not only grim picture when looking at the employment population, and the resulting social protection, but the female involvement rate is very low. Research has shown that across the UK and during the last three decades to the present, there has been an upsurge of women in relationships being in employment, and the need to develop families and career development has been unevenly mixed. In the present, women are actively participating in gainful employment much like their male counterparts, and the decision to have children or to avoid reproducing altogether has become a function of the quality of job (perhaps measured in the form of income and security), and the possibility of juggling motherhood, and work. This implies that women have been left to choose only two options; have careers with children, or a fruitful career without the burden of children. Hence, reconciliation of family and work, and the ability to share such with their male partners have choked the country with a small workforce, and the ensuing social policies have been affected in the face if the actualities of families and the labour market in the United Kingdom, plus the consistent pursuit of high quality jobs by the women, that are in turn reflected by the incomes (Tanzi, 2002). Women have an a vital role in advocating change so that the reality takes a good account of their particular circumstance, and also encourage their male partners to play a good role in family responsibilities. The United Kingdom social policy situations are built on the male-breadwinner model, and this system has failed to assist significantly women to come out, and often ignores the role played by women in the society. Conclusion Confronting the demographic problem provide, perhaps the chance to consider and mold the UK’s welfare system as it presently exists, though the system is very important in Britain that cost-cutting measures can prove to be huge mistakes. Social expenditure is an investment in the present and future workforce, and as a vital tool that is used to redistribute income, and risks that are likely to happen in the society. The national umbrella trade union must confront the problem bare-chested and given feedback to the importance of diversification of sources of financing of the social protection systems and the in line with the improvements that are needed for full potential employment of people in all the groups such as women and the old people in the society to encourage social cohesion. As a matter of fact, even though a subject of intense of debate is the role of private systems in filling the void in pension systems, this paper strongly believes that the profit driven private sector can never offer the solution. However, the major emphasis needs to lie on the base for financing the social protection system, which should be large and rely on contributions from the workforce and taxation plus profits, indirect taxes amongst other sources. In view on the improvements and adjustments of the welfare state, the system should be structured towards a method that provides for a life-course perspective. This means a fall I the sharp contrasts in education, job, and, retirement to that full potential of the working-age population is utilized, thereby providing for a negotiated and secured individual choices in the labour market. References Top of Form Bottom of Form Top of Form Bottom of Form Top of Form Bottom of Form Top of Form Bryson, L., 1996. Welfare and the state: who benefits? Basingstoke, Hampshire [u.a.], Macmillan. Great Britain. 2013a. Government response to the House of Lords Select Committee on Public Service and Demographic Change report of session 2012-13: Ready for ageing?. London: The Stationery Office. Great Britain. 2013b. Ready for ageing?: report. [Online] Available at: http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/lords-select/public-services-committee/report-ready-for-ageing/ [Accessed 06/05/2015] Mills, D., 2006. Demographic review of the UK social sciences. Swindon, Economic & Social Research Council. Tanzi, V., 2002. Globalization and the future of social protection. Scottish Journal of Political Economy. 49, 116-127. Bottom of Form Read More