The welfare state has been one of the most significant developments in twentieth-century Britain. Drawing on much recent research, The Twentieth-Century Welfare State narrates its principal changes and provides a thematic historical introduction to issues of finance and funding, providers and users and the role of the welfare state as a system of social stratification. Change and continuity are central themes, while the 'moving frontier' between the state and other suppliers in the mixed economy of twentieth-century welfare is also analysed.

This book aims to serve as a core social policy text on the welfare state which brings together leading figures to provide a coherent introductory volume. It puts contemporary experience into historical context and introduces debates on welfare policies into the next century. This book is intended for undergraduate courses on the welfare state within social policy, politics and social history. It should also have strong appeal for professional qualifying courses in health, education and social work.