Rather there are many factors to take into account, such as economic and demographic trends, changes in social attitudes and earlier reforms to the system. There is no real indication that a social underclass a group of people with a shared interest and common lack of aspirations actually exists. In the book Professor Walker explains how advances in medical treatment and improvements in living standards are leading to a greater number of people living longer and claiming pensions. New benefits that reflect the special financial needs of disabled people, higher levels of disability and changes in the labour market explain the increase in the number of disabled people claiming benefits. Professor Walker concludes that the number of lone parents not working and on benefits which had been rising since the 1970s has recently fallen as the economy has boomed and perhaps as new Government policies to help people into work have taken effect.
Unemployed people are the smallest group of benefit claimants.
The book, which is to be published by The Policy Press on September 27, was written after Professor Walker was approached by the New Zealand treasury to examine the rise in benefit claimants in Britain following a similar trend in New Zealand.