ABSTRACT
The debates about, and policies related to, loans of poor relief and social assistance have been framed by concerns about recipients, it is the case that they frame benefit claimants in a very poor light. The amount and nature of conditionality that shapes social assistance policy demonstrates that politicians and policy makers have little faith in benefit claimants who, unless they are closely regulated and left poor, are held to be in danger of exploiting state organised financial support and in doing so are in danger of breaking the public purse. However, it is clear from recent economic events that more is to be feared from lightly regulated financial institutions that have managed to do that without, unsurprisingly, the help of financially poor claimants. The Social Fund 20 Years On has examined the phenomenon of the local, and later, the national state loaning poor people money as a means of relieving' their needs.
