Social Policy Review provides students, academics and all those interested in welfare issues with critical analyses of progress and change in areas of major interest during the past year. Contributions reflect key themes in the UK and internationally. The first part of the collection focuses on developments and change in core UK social policy areas. Part two provides in-depth analyses of topical issues from both UK and international perspectives, while this year's themed section examines 'Gender and policy'.

"Social Policy Review" provides students, academics and all those interested in welfare issues with critical analyses of progress and change in areas of major interest during the past year. Contributions reflect key themes in the UK and internationally. The first part of the collection focuses on developments and change in core UK social policy areas. Part two provides in-depth analyses of topical issues from both UK and international perspectives, while this year's themed section examines 'Migration and social policy'.

There are two conflicting trends in Europe: a demographic shift towards population ageing, and a massive decrease in the labour force participation of older workers (aged 50 years and over). This captivating book offers a refined and authoritative understanding of these trends and the two socio-economic concerns of most European welfare states that have been re-enforced as a consequence. These are: the increasing costs for welfare states to finance 'pathways' from employment to official retirement, and the threat of labour market shortages in the near future as a result of both the ageing process and the early exit of older workers. A variety of new policy initiatives can be observed emerging from these changes in many European countries - this book examines the different welfare state arrangements in nine EU countries plus Hungary, Slovenia and Norway. It considers ways of integrating older workers in the labour market along with differing perspectives on the relation between ageing and work.

"Social Policy Review" provides students, academics and all those interested in welfare issues with detailed analyses of progress and change in areas of major interest during the past year. Bringing together a selection of commissioned papers, the Review is organised in three parts. First, it concentrates on the main policy developments during 2005 in relation to five key areas of welfare provision, both in the UK and internationally. The second part, this year concentrating on the theme of health and well-being, draws on current research to explore key policy issues and challenges. The final section explores employment and later life - an often neglected area of social policy, yet one that will increasingly dominate the contemporary news agenda and that has long term implications for social policy.