The Welfare State, as defined above, came into effect on 5 July 1948 alongside the creation of the National Health Service. The broad framework was originally set out in 1942 in a report by British economist Sir William Beveridge (Moonie, N. ed. 2000). Originally entitled ‘Social Insurance and Allied Services’, the piece has since come to be known simply as ‘the Beveridge Report’. It states that all people of working age should pay a weekly contribution in the form of National Insurance and, in return, benefits will be paid in times of need such as sickness, unemployment or retirement.
It is pertinent at this stage to set out an abridged overview of provisions available from various sources under the umbrella of Social Services. To paraphrase Skills for Care (2007), services can be categorised as follows:
Adult Care, for example, provides residential, day, domiciliary or community care in the form of care homes, sheltered housing, day centres, domestic help, meals on wheels, respite care and information services. Children’s Care provides residential, day or community care in the form of care homes, family centres, nurseries, holiday clubs, fostering and adoption, child protection and information services. Healthcare meets the needs of individuals through the provision of hospitals, hospices, GP surgeries, dentists and opticians.
It is important to draw a general distinction between ‘needs’ and ‘wants’ before looking at practical considerations of how Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs can be met by existing resources. Whilst the State can certainly provide a ‘safety net’ to ensure basic needs are met, ‘wants’ such as expensive holidays or luxurious furnishings are not catered for. ‘Needs’ can be defined as necessary to survival; if not met, safety, well-being or health could be impacted. They are limited in number. ‘Wants’, on the other hand, are limitless and provide comfort and enjoyment but are not absolutely necessary for survival and are, therefore, outside the remit of health and social care.
Whilst the majority of individuals of working age within Britain are in a position to meet physiological needs without assistance, some 8.7 percent claim State Benefits (Office for National Statistics, 2003). As Directgov (2008) sets out, the Government can provide assistance in many forms to those who are unable to meet their physiological needs through private income such as employment or investments. The full range of available benefits are too numerous to list within this essay but include Income Support, Jobseekers Allowance, Incapacity Benefit, Working Tax Credits, Housing Benefit, Council Tax Benefit and Disability Living Allowance for those of working age. For households containing a child or children, Child Benefit may also be available. Meanwhile, for those of retirement age, a State Pension and Pension Credits may be payable.
Some of the aforementioned benefits also address the satisfaction of safety needs. Having a place to live (or not) has massive impact on feelings of safety and emotional well-being. Not only does a house provide physical protection from cold and wet weather, it also provides emotional refuge from the outside world; home is a place where people can feel safe and relax. In addition to local authority housing, there exists a variety of facilities available for those who would otherwise be sleeping rough.
The provision of hostels and temporary accommodation, run by charitable organisations, local authorities or private businesses, means that the number of people being forced to sleep rough is kept as low as possible. To quote Communities and Local Government (2008): “We estimate that, as at June 2008, there were 483 people sleeping rough in England on any single night.” It could be argued that one person sleeping rough is one too many but, realistically and for diverse and complex reasons, there will always be a homeless population of varying number. Another factor related to safety needs is the increased risk of violent attacks, with homeless individuals being 13 times more likely to be a victim of crime (BBC News Online, 2004). The fact is that these statistics would be much worse if these facilities did not exist.
The satisfaction of social needs is something that is achievable for most individuals. People can meet others who share similar interests by joining relevant clubs or associations and can mix with peers by attending relevant social functions. There are also dating agencies and dinner clubs for those who are seeking companionship. Where ‘social services’ are often required to assist is when a person is unable to easily or practically address these social needs, for example, someone who is elderly or housebound. Organisations such as Age Concern provide facilities like luncheon clubs and day centres, where individuals can benefit from company and conversation. They also collate information on other available resources like reminiscence and friendship groups (Age Concern, 2008).
There are many routes to satisfying esteem needs. These include finding challenges of a vocational or academic nature or becoming part of a community group to gain a sense of achievement and social inclusion. For some, actively satisfying their own esteem needs can be a daunting process. Where ‘social services’ can assist is in providing accessible services in a variety of formats. One example is the Gateway Team, part of Poole Social Services (Borough of Poole, 2008) who list their aim as: “To enable adults in Poole to achieve, maintain and enjoy emotional and social well-being through the provision of a specialised service.” This includes free psychology and counselling services and workshops aimed at addressing anxiety and depression or providing assertiveness training. It also focuses on actively helping individuals to attain social inclusion by providing ideas for getting involved in the local community. Additionally, help is given by sourcing self-help material in the form of books or online resources.
The Gateway Team is merely one localized example to highlight available support but this picture is replicated throughout the country with the provision of services available from local authorities, charities, volunteer groups and private organisations.
Moving on to self-actualisation, it is important to differentiate between this level and the others within Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. As it is concerned with a constantly evolving set of ambitions rather than a basic set of needs, self-actualisation does not require a ‘safety net’ provided by social services. However, the social services framework can be utilised by enterprising individuals to help realise their potential. For example, undertaking volunteer work can build confidence, increase social networks and heighten the sense of well-being. Additionally, career prospects can be significantly enhanced as “73% of employers would employ a candidate with volunteering experience over one without” (TimeBank, 2008).
In conclusion, this essay has demonstrated that social services, in the widest definition of the term, provide a wide range of facilities to address the Hierarchy of Needs as set out by Maslow. Although society is far from perfect and the eradication of neither poverty nor suffering is likely to be achieved, the assistance available in this country to those in need is comprehensive. Imagine what life was like for those most in need before the welfare state was established and before charities and other caring organisations became widespread. Consequently, the aim should be to bolster this supportive network and make it the very best it can be. Just like people, social services must continue to strive to fulfil its potential.
Reference List
Abraham Maslow – Father of Modern Management (2007) Available from: [Accessed: 4 October 2008].
Age Concern Kingston upon Thames (2008) Social Activities [online]. Available from: [Accessed: 5 October 2008].
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Borough of Poole (2008) Gateway Team [online]. Available from: http://www.boroughofpoole.com/adult_social_care/services/ref:S471F3DCEE1DB0/aka:Gateway+Team/ [Accessed: 5 October 2008].
Communities and Local Government (2008) Rough Sleeping Statistics [online]. Available from:
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McKeown, C. and Summers, E. eds. (2006) Collins Gem English Dictionary. 14th ed. Glasgow, HarperCollins Publishers.
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Office for National Statistics (2003) Percentage of the Population of Working Age Claiming A Key Social Security Benefit [online]. Available from: [Accessed: 4 October 2008].
Skills for Care NMDS-SC (2007) Type of Care Services Provided [online]. Available from: [Accessed: 29 September 2008].
TimeBank (2008) Benefits of Volunteering and Voluntary Work [online]. Available from: [Accessed: 5 October 2008].