11.6
(a)
(b)
an increase in the numbers in need of, or eligible for, services for example, the increase in the numbers of the elderly affects the demand for services for them;
W
a rise in public expectations, which may be lead to, or result from, a change in Government policy - for example, the greater interest in, and readiness to provide, services for the disabled or for youth;
(c) the ability and preference of people for buying an
equivalent service not provided by the Government or voluntary sector for example, being able to enter a private home for the elderly or pay for an amah or nurse, rather than have a home helper or community nurse;
(d) the provision of additional money to a person, which leads him either to choose (c) above or not make use of social welfare services at all for example, a decision to remain in his own home if a higher income is available, rather than enter an institution.
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The only clear example of a service no longer being needed is that cash aid by voluntary agencies has been replaced by the public assistance scheme. Expenditure and subventions have increased in every kind of social welfare service: but without the development of social security, the growth of expenditure on services would have been far greater. For example, there has been an expansion of homes for the aged, which has primarily benefitted those who have no families to live with, who constitute 80% of the residents of old peoples homes. Had there not been a development of social security, the demand for more homes for the aged would have been even stronger.
Non-Government financed services ("private services")
11.7
The demand for Government financed services is affected by the existence and use of non Government financed services ("private services"), which may or may not be profit making. This raises a number of questions:
whether the use of private services can be significantly encouraged by social security measures;
whether it is desirable socially, or cost-effective, to encourage a switch from Government financed to private services;
how far the provision of social security measures would lead to a reduction in the use of private or Government financed services.
The fundamental question, of which these questions are facets, is how far social security is an alternative to social welfare services in general and Government financed social welfare services in particular.
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