Social policies

What is social policy?

Laws and acts that are created to produce positive social change

What does the new right believe in?

Traditional nuclear family with it division of labour between a male provider and a female home maker → self reliant and care for own members

What 3 policies New Right from 1988 to 1997?

1. Married Man’s Tax Allowance

2. Section 28

3. Children's Act 1989

New Labour Policy

1. Adoption and Children Act (2002) - gay couples can adopt, Civil Partnership Act

2. Child Tax Credit (2003)

3. Longer Maternity leave

Coalition policies

1. Marriage Tax Credit (2015)

2. Introduced shared parental leave

3. Same Sex Marriage Act (2014)

Conservative government 2016 until 2024

1. 2 child cap on Child tax credits

2. Pension Age for women increased to 66 (2018)

The New Right summary

Hugely influenced by the New Right, focused on strengthening the traditional nuclear family structure and roles. Emphasised self help and reliance by reducing welfare payments.

New Labour

Still under the influence of the New Right, however much more progressive, favouring the Dual Earning family over traditional roles. Gave some support to alternative family types but still preferred the heterosexual nuclear family.

Coalition

The coalition government had very inconsistent policies on the family due to the conflict between two camps of MP’s:

Modernists – acceptance of diversity within the family.

Traditionalists – who favour the new rights view of the traditional nuclear family.

Conservative new

The current Conservative government has been mostly concerned with the issue of the UK leaving the European Union, however they have passed some policies relating to the family which return to the New Right focus they had in the 1980/90’s

Married Man’s Tax Allowance

Section 28

Point: The New Right perspective sees the nuclear family as the ideal family type and supports social policies that reinforce its structure.

Evidence: Policies such as the Married Man’s Tax Allowance provided financial incentives for marriage, particularly benefiting heterosexual married couples, while Section 28 (1988) banned the "promotion of homosexuality" by local authorities, effectively limiting support for same-sex relationships and non-traditional family structures.

Explain: These policies were designed to promote and privilege the traditional nuclear family—consisting of a heterosexual married couple with dependent children—by rewarding marital status and discouraging alternative family forms. The Married Man’s Tax Allowance made it financially advantageous to marry, while Section 28 stigmatized non-heteronormative family types.

Link: This aligns with the New Right’s belief that the decline of the nuclear family is linked to social problems such as crime and educational underachievement, and that state policies should encourage self-reliance and traditional family values.

Evaluate: However, critics argue that these policies are discriminatory and fail to reflect the diversity of modern family life. Feminists and postmodernists suggest that privileging the nuclear family marginalizes lone-parent families, same-sex couples, and cohabiting partners, reinforcing patriarchal and heteronormative norms rather than supporting all families equally.

The Children Act 1989

Point: The Children Act 1989 marked a shift in social policy by placing the welfare of the child as the paramount concern, reflecting a more child-centred approach to family life.

Evidence: The Act established that children have rights and that state intervention is justified when it is in the best interests of the child. It gave local authorities the power to intervene in families where children were at risk and introduced concepts like parental responsibility.

Explain: This policy changed the way the family is treated by the state. Rather than automatically privileging parental authority or the nuclear family, it acknowledged that children's wellbeing might sometimes require external protection or support. It also encouraged a more balanced view of parenting roles by emphasizing shared responsibility.

Link: The Act aligns more closely with liberal and social democratic perspectives, which see the state as having a legitimate role in supporting vulnerable individuals and promoting equality, rather than simply reinforcing traditional structures like the nuclear family.

Evaluate: While the Act has been praised for safeguarding children’s rights, critics argue that it increases state surveillance of families, particularly working-class or minority families, potentially leading to disproportionate interventions. Others argue it reflects broader societal changes, such as the growing acceptance of diverse family forms and recognition of children as independent individuals.

Adoption and Children Act (2002) - gay couples can adopt, Civil Partnership Act

Point: Social policies like the Adoption and Children Act 2002 and the Civil Partnership Act 2004 reflect a shift towards greater acceptance of family diversity, particularly for same-sex couples.

Evidence: The Adoption and Children Act 2002 allowed unmarried and same-sex couples to adopt children jointly in England and Wales for the first time, while the Civil Partnership Act 2004 gave same-sex couples similar legal rights to marriage, such as inheritance, pensions, and next-of-kin status.

Explain: These policies challenged the traditional New Right view that only the heterosexual nuclear family is capable of providing a stable and moral upbringing for children. Instead, they recognized that same-sex couples can form legitimate and stable family units, capable of raising children successfully.

Link: This aligns more closely with postmodern and feminist perspectives, which argue that family life is now more fluid, diverse, and based on choice rather than rigid social norms. These policies also reflect wider societal shifts towards equality and inclusivity.

Evaluate: While these reforms have been widely welcomed for promoting equal rights and recognising diverse family forms, critics—particularly from the New Right—argue that they undermine the traditional nuclear family and may contribute to moral decline. However, sociological research has shown that children raised by same-sex couples do just as well emotionally and educationally as those raised in heterosexual families, undermining this critique.

Child Tax Credit

Point: The Child Tax Credit (2003) represents a social policy aimed at supporting low-income families and reducing child poverty, reflecting a more interventionist and welfare-based approach to family support.

Evidence: Introduced by the Labour government, Child Tax Credit provided financial assistance to families with children, especially those on low or moderate incomes, regardless of whether the parents were married or cohabiting.

Explain: This policy acknowledged the financial pressures many families face and aimed to promote child welfare by making parenting more affordable. It also recognized the diversity of modern family life by offering support to lone-parent families and cohabiting couples, not just traditional nuclear families.

Link: This approach aligns with social democratic and feminist perspectives, which argue that the state should play an active role in supporting families, tackling inequality, and valuing all family types equally. It contrasts with the New Right, which often criticizes such benefits for promoting dependency on the state and undermining the traditional family.

Evaluate: While the policy helped to reduce child poverty and supported working families, critics—particularly from the New Right—argued it encouraged family breakdown by making lone parenthood more financially viable. However, others argue that financial support like this empowers families and reflects the realities of modern, diverse households.

Introduced shared parental leave

Same Sex Marriage Act (2014)

Point: Policies such as Shared Parental Leave (2015) and the Same-Sex Marriage Act (2014) reflect increasing state support for gender equality and family diversity.

Evidence: The Shared Parental Leave policy allows parents to share up to 50 weeks of leave and 37 weeks of pay after the birth or adoption of a child. The Same-Sex Marriage Act 2014 legalised marriage for same-sex couples in England and Wales, granting them the same legal status and rights as heterosexual couples.

Explain: These policies challenge traditional gender roles within the family and support more egalitarian family structures. Shared Parental Leave enables both parents to be involved in early childcare, promoting the idea of shared responsibility rather than reinforcing the breadwinner-housewife model. The Same-Sex Marriage Act legally recognises non-heteronormative family forms, affirming that same-sex couples can form stable, committed relationships that are equally valued by the state.

Link: These reforms align with feminist and postmodern perspectives, which advocate for equality, individual choice, and the acceptance of diverse family structures. They stand in contrast to New Right views, which idealise the traditional nuclear family and often oppose such changes as weakening conventional moral values.

Evaluate: While these policies mark significant progress in terms of equality and inclusivity, critics note that Shared Parental Leave uptake remains low, often due to economic pressures and persistent gender norms. Similarly, although the Same-Sex Marriage Act represents legal progress, social attitudes and inequalities still affect the lived experiences of LGBTQ+ families.

Reintroduction of the Married couples Tax allowance.

2 child cap on Child tax credits

Pension Age for women increased to 66 (2018)

Point: Recent Conservative-led social policies have reflected New Right ideals by reinforcing traditional family structures, promoting self-reliance, and reducing welfare dependency.

Evidence: The Married Couples Tax Allowance (reintroduced in 2015) gives a small tax break to married heterosexual couples, promoting marriage over cohabitation. The two-child cap on Child Tax Credits (introduced in 2017) limits financial support to the first two children in a family. Meanwhile, the increase in the pension age for women to 66 (in 2018) delayed access to state support, aligning women's retirement age with men’s.

Explain: These policies reflect the New Right view that the state should not incentivise family breakdown or large families dependent on welfare. Encouraging marriage through tax benefits promotes the nuclear family as the preferred family model. Capping child benefits discourages larger families reliant on state support. Raising women’s pension age also assumes individual responsibility over dependence on state welfare, aligning with neoliberal economic values.

Link: These policies contrast with feminist and social democratic perspectives, which argue that they disproportionately affect women and low-income families. Feminists, for instance, criticise the pension age rise for disproportionately impacting women who may have taken time off work to care for children or relatives, and are thus more financially vulnerable.

Evaluate: While supporters argue these measures promote responsibility and reduce welfare dependency, critics point out that they exacerbate inequality, penalise non-traditional or larger families, and reinforce gender inequality, especially by ignoring the unpaid care work often done by women. This raises questions about whether these policies truly support families or place unfair burdens on the most vulnerable.