ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on housing provision and it is argued that housing has been a keystone of welfare and economic development policies in all these countries. Malpass provides a valuable review of debates about the position of housing within the British Welfare State and includes new insights especially related to the wartime and immediate post-war periods. In the British context there is a conventional list relating to social security, education, health, housing and personal social services. Malpass's framework is important in understanding the position of housing in the British Welfare State. The well developed western welfare states have very different levels of state housing provision. The key issue is whether there is a commitment to achieve standards in relation to housing. The general climate of debate was one which favoured public intervention in different forms in the provision of housing as well as other services.
