出版社：Suntory Toyota International Centres for Economics and Related Disciplines
摘要：The election of the Coalition government in May 2010 heralded social policy reforms on a large scale: a substantial overhaul of the welfare system with the amalgamation of many means-tested benefits into a single payment (Universal Credit) along with reductions in benefit payment levels, tighter criteria and greater conditionality; major reforms of schools, health services and higher education and a restructuring of the funding and decision-making powers of sub-national government under the ‘localism’ agenda. Announced during 2010 and 2011, many of these changes are only now beginning to come into effect in the 2013/14 financial year. Underpinning some of them, and running alongside others, are substantial reductions in central and local government budgets, driven by deficit-reduction policies. And of course the policy reforms come on top of the financial crash and ensuing recession: high unemployment; shorter working hours; near-stagnant wages but rising food and energy costs and, for some, increased or unmanageable debt and risk of home repossession.
