This paper analyses the proposals contained in the Government GreenPaper, A New Contract for Welfare: Partnership in Pensions for low paidworkers and the potential of the new rules to guarantee a decent incomein old age. It discusses the general principles inherent in the design ofthe British...

Private wealth holdings are likely to become an increasingly important determinant in the jobexit decision of elderly workers. Net wealth may correlate with worker’s characteristics thatalso determine the exit out of a job. It is therefore important to include a rich set of...

[...]This study is also a “leaver study”—describing the economicwell-being of families who left welfare and using the NationalSurvey of America’s Families (NSAF), conducted by the UrbanInstitute. It adds to the body of leaver studies by presenting anational picture, providing context for...

Traditional theories of the origins of the welfare state have emphasized the financial weakness of Britain’s largest provider of mutual insurance in the late 19th century, the friendly societies. These theories share common implications with contemporary theories of institutional change...

This report summarises presentations and discussion at a seminar, organised by LSE Housingand CASE, which took place at the London School of Economics on 7th July 1998. The eventwas chaired by Professor Howard Glennerster (LSE and Chairman of STICERD), and thespeakers were Professor William...

In April 2002 Jobcentre Plus started to operate in the UK bringing together theservice of the Benefits Agency and the Employment Service. Offering a fullyintegrated benefit claiming and work placement/job-seeking service for peopleof working age this new organisation aims to strengthen the link...

This paper takes as its starting point Henry Neuburger’s injunction that taxationmust be seen as a contribution to the maintenance of the welfare state, not as adead-weight burden. It sets recent developments in the UK tax ratio in thecontext of changes in public spending, particularly on...

This paper examines the decline of National Insurance in Britain, as witnessedby its declining share of all social security spending and the steady dilution ofthe “contributory principle” on which it was originally based. It argues that thisdecline is not an accident: under governments of...

The analysis in the Report of the Pensions Commission (UK Pensions Commission2004, henceforth referred to as the Report), is sound, the data a wonderful treasure trove, thepresentation particularly clear, and the diagnosis correct. This comment takes the Report’sanalysis as given, and sets out...