Read on Twitter
The evolution of Free School Meals into food vouchers happened - as so often in policy - by innovating in a crisis. But the history of the idea of delivering welfare via vouchers is interesting, politicised and not a little fraught. Thread 1/?
Contrary to the divide we saw this week, traditionally Conservatives are more keen on welfare via vouchers (reduce fraud, avoid the money being spent on non-essentials etc) and Labour have strongly opposed it (trust recipients, don't seek to limit their freedom of action) 2/?
This links to themes you'll often here people mention in these debates - are recipients spending welfare on fags and drink? etc. (It's also linked to Barbara Castle's principle from 1975 that child benefit should be paid to mothers, to avoid fathers taking it for themselves.) 3/?
The political divide on the issue certainly persisted in 2012, when @WeAreBrightBlue reported from @PopulusPolls: "76% of Conservatives think it is wrong that the majority of
benefits are paid in cash rather than clothing or food vouchers...[compared to] 53% of Labour voters" 4/?
benefits are paid in cash rather than clothing or food vouchers...[compared to] 53% of Labour voters" 4/?
It's an oddity of history in a sense that this week we saw Labour arguing *for* welfare via vouchers, which they've tended to oppose, and the Conservatives being reluctant on the question, when they've tended to be a bit more pro 5/?
Stories like this of parents trying to buy other stuff like beer or bras, with school meal vouchers aren't new either, btw. In my grandad's shop, years ago, he'd regularly get people trying to sell him welfare vouchers at below face-value for cash. https://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/news/hull-east-yorkshire-news/asda-abused-school-meal-vouchers-4127212 6/6
Sorry, PS: given we are where we are, it's worth considering whether - if the Conservatives do actually still lean towards the principle of constraining how welfare is delivered like this - this might become a precedent to do the same thing elsewhere. Just a thought.
