British Social Attitudes 29 Public attitudes towards welfare December 2012
Contents Some background about BSA Key findings on welfare 1 .
British Social Attitudes Random sample of 3,000+ adults in Great Britain Focus on repeating questions annually New questions developed to explore emerging issues Challenge of measuring attitudes across the public Major focus on dissemination BSA29 published in September, www.bsa-29.natcen.ac.uk Data deposited at UK Data Archive 2
Key findings on welfare
Attitudes to taxation and Reduce taxes/spend less spending Keep taxes/spend same Increase taxes/spend more 70 60 50 40 % 30 20 10 0 3 5 7 0 3 5 7 9 1 3 5 7 9 1 8 8 8 9 9 9 9 9 0 0 0 0 0 1 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 4
First and second priorities for extra government spending Health, 68 Education, 61 % Police and Housing, Help for prisons, 15 14 Defence, industry, 12 10 Public Social transport, 6 Roads, 6 O verseas security, 4 aid, 2 5
Declining support for more spending on welfare benefits 80 60 40 20 0 '83 '84 '86 '87 '88 '89 '90 '91 '92 '93 '94 '95 '96 '97 '98 '99 '00 '01 '02 '03 '04 '05 '06 '07 '08 '09 '10 '11 6
Declining support for redistribution 80 60 40 20 0 '83 '84 '86 '87 '88 '89 '90 '91 '92 '93 '94 '95 '96 '97 '98 '99 '00 '01 '02 '03 '04 '05 '06 '07 '08 '09 '10 '11 7
Increasing scepticism about impact of benefits on recipients 80 60 40 20 0 '83 '84 '86 '87 '88 '89 '90 '91 '92 '93 '94 '95 '96 '97 '98 '99 '00 '01 '02 '03 '04 '05 '06 '07 '08 '09 '10 '11 8
Increasing scepticism about impact of benefits on recipients 80 60 40 20 0 '83 '84 '86 '87 '88 '89 '90 '91 '92 '93 '94 '95 '96 '97 '98 '99 '00 '01 '02 '03 '04 '05 '06 '07 '08 '09 '10 '11 9
Some benefit recipients are seen as ‘more deserving’ 80 60 40 20 0 '98 '99 '02 '04 '06 '08 '11 10
But government still seen as Government responsible for welfare Individuals / families 88% 84% 59% 52% 35% 33% 7% 6% E nsuring unem ployed E nsuring people have P aying for cost of E nsuring people have have enough to live enough to live on in healthcare when enough to live on if on retirem ent som eone ill becom e sick / disabled 11
Child poverty 36% “quite a lot” and 43% “some” child poverty in Britain (2009); 18% none/very little. Important to reduce child poverty, 82% think this “very important” Central govt plays a key role - 74% think central government should be responsible for reducing child poverty 12
A reason Why children live in poverty Main reason 68% 62% 50% 49% 48% 44% 43% 17% 16% 10% 9% 7% 7% 3% Addiction Parents don't Family Low education Low pay Unemployment Family size want to work breakdown 13
Summary Trend towards more public scepticism about welfare From mid 1990s onwards Less support for government role in providing support to unemployed and retired Increasing belief welfare system encourages dependence Attitudes haven’t responded to the recession as we might have expected The alleviation of child poverty seen as important Clear role for government Congruence between public attitudes and diagnosis of current government 14
Thank you Alison Park T. 020 7549 7072 E. alison.park@natcen.ac.uk Visit us online: www.natcen.ac.uk View British Social Attitudes data at: http://www.britsocat.com/Home 15
Improving the benefits system – 1 st priority the public’s priorities 1 st or 2 nd priority 53% 37% 33% 32% 26% 26% 18% 14% 14% 13% 12% 7% 6% 3% Targeting Rewarding Making sure Reducing Making sure Providing Making sure benefits only those who those who fraud those who benefits for payments at those who work or look are entitled save are not those who are fast and really need for work to money penalised cannot work accurate them claim it 16
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