The Aims of Family Policy

Important family policies: pre 1980

• National Health Service

• Divorce Reform Act

• The Beveridge Report

The National Health Service (Family Planning)

Act 1967: Legalised the provision of contraceptive advice and services

• significant milestone for women’s reproductive rights and sexual freedom in Britain

The Divorce Reform

Act 1969: “irretrievable breakdown” of marriage as the sole ground for divorce

• simplifying the process by removing the need to establish fault or specific offences

• allowing couples to divorce more amicably after a period of separation

The Beveridge Report

1942: welfare support for families supporting families with children financially

Conservative - 1979-1997

Margaret Thatcher - very traditional

• idealistic view of the family, which echoes much functionalist and New Right thought

Conservative - Child Support Agency CSA

The Children Act 1989 - emphasised the primary responsibility of parents in securing the welfare of their parents, state’s role was to ensure separated parents financially supported their children

• Diversity

• Saves Money

Conservative - Married Men’s Tax Relief

UK tax system that provided a higher tax-free allowance for married men compared to single men

• Nuclear Family

Conservative - Section 28

prohibited the “promotion of homosexuality”

• Nuclear Family

New Labour - 1979-1997

New Labour also tended to favour the ‘traditional’ nuclear family

• believed that state intervention and aid actually helps families out rather than encourages ‘Dependency’

Aspects of policies: Social Liberalism, Family Values, and Support and Control

New Labour - Working Family Tax Credits

Replaced the married man’s tax allowance

• Removed a tax incentive for couples to get married and to stay married

• Provided a tax allowance for families with children - help pay for childcare: designed to encourage both partners to work - later followed with child tax credits

• Diversity

• Nuclear Family

• Equality

New Labour - Paternity Leave

2003: men were able to get two weeks of paid parental leave

• Nuclear Family

• Equality

New Labour - Civil Partnerships (2005)

Allowed same-sex relationships to be legally recognised on the same terms as marriage

• Diversity

• Equality

New Labour - Adoption and Children’s Act (2002)

Allowed same-sex couples to adopt children

• Diversity

• Nuclear Family

• Equality

• Saves Money

Coalition Government - Shared Parental Leave

Both parties in the coalition were keen for parental leave to be able to be shared equally

• Diversity

• Nuclear Family

• Equality

Coalition Government - Equal Family Act

2013: Legalised same-sex marriage in England and Wales despite opposition from traditionalists

• Church of England was granted an exception, making it illegal to conduct same-sex marriages in its churches

• Diversity

• Equality

Conservative (2015+) - Two Child Benefit Cap

Restricts the payment of child tax

• Nuclear Family

• Saves Money

Conservative (2015+) - Tax Free Child Care

2017: provides up to £2,000 per year towards childcare costs for each child under 12

• Available for working families, Earning up to £200,000 per year

• Saves Money

Conservative (2015+) - Marriage Allowance

Tax relief allows individuals to transfer £1.260 of their personal tax-free allowance to their spouse

• available to couples where one partner earns less than the personal allowance threshold

• Equality

• Saves Money