Review: The Impact of Devolution on Social Policy

Abstract

Birrell defines social policy broadly to include, among others, health and social care, education, housing, children's services, social work and social security. With the exception of the latter, most social policy responsibility now falls within the jurisdiction of the devolved institutions. Indeed, social policies are arguably their core responsibility and certainly make up a considerable bulk of their expenditure. Devolution thus provided scope for significant variation in the types of social policies pursued in different parts of the UK.