Cash and care

Book excerpt: Recent social trends and policy developments have called into question the divide between the provision of income support and social care services. This book examines this in light of key trends. The book presents new evidence on the links between cash - whether from earnings from paid work, social security benefits, and payments for disabled people and carers - and social disadvantage, care and disability. It presents theoretical perspectives on the need for and provision of care, which some commentators have described as a 'new social risk' and offers new insights into traditional forms of risk, such as poverty, disability, access to credit and money management. It provides an analysis of childcare and informal support for sick, disabled or elderly people in the context of increasing female labour market participation and the introduction of cash allowances to pay for care and posits a new look at both disabled people and older people in their roles as active citizens, whose views and experiences should help shape both policy and practice. Cash and care is essential reading for students, lecturers and researchers in social policy, applied social science, social work, and health and social care.