A political and social history of the welfare state in Britain, this book charts its rise during the post-war years and its transformations since. It considers the reasons behind each phase in the welfare state's development both in general terms and in relation to specific policy areas.

The Development of the British Welfare State is divided into three parts, allowing for use on both chronological and service-based courses: Part I provides a chronological overview of the development of the welfare state from its origins in the nineteenth century to the present day; Part II concentrates on the history of the five main welfare service sectors: health, education, personal social services, housing and social security.

A key feature of this book is that it fully integrates an analysis of the changes in state welfare provision which have taken place in the last fifteen years; and Part III draws conclusions and considers the future of the welfare state.