Spring changes to the social security system

Abstract

During 1987-8 the government estimated that at any one time over five million people were receiving supplementary benefit. This benefit acted as a safety net in the social security system by providing a basic income for those with no other source of income or an income too low to maintain themselves and their dependants. During the same period another three and half million people were receiving help with rent and rates through housing benefit and over 200 000 families in low paid work were receiving family income supplement. Nearly nine million people (plus their dependants) were thus relying to some extent on means tested benefits. Of these nearly a million were sick or had disabilities and four and half million were elderly many of whom would also have had health or disability problems. © 1988, British Medical Journal Publishing Group. All rights reserved.