Moya Lothian-McLean: How Healthcare Went From State Responsibility to Workplace ‘Perk’

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How Healthcare Went From State Responsibility to Workplace 'Perk' Moya Lothian-McLean: In 1887, a British soap baron began casting around in Cheshire for a new site from which he could expand his booming business. William Lever – the man whose surname makes up part of the multinational, Unilever – alighted upon 56 acres near a railway station and the River Mersey.  Here Lever brought to life his dream: a beautiful model village to house his workers, named Port Sunlight after his company's most popular product. Comprising 800 houses and amenities like a hospital and art gallery, Lever's workers also benefited from welfare, educational and recreational schemes funded by their employer. It was a far cry from the existence of the average Edwardian factory employee, crammed into grimy and overcrowded accommodation.  Lever – later Lord Leverhulme – exemplified the lottery facing workers before the solidifying of the modern welfare state. If blessed with a 'philanthropic' boss, some employees were given welfare and patronage, linked to their employment status. Yet if you happened to be one of the millions of workers that were the rule, not the exception, you could expect almost nothing from employers, instead relying on the meagre state welfare provisions that existed at that time, and private charity.  Just over a century after Lever completed the construction of Port Sunlight, Britain's landscape of welfare and work is shifting into a framework the soap multi-millionaire might not find unfamiliar. In-work poverty has soared; the majority of people living below the breadline are from working households. An economic crisis is tightening the screws on just about every strata of society, but it is those in low-income brackets who face being completely crushed by inflation and the spiralling costs of everything from rent to energy bills. Meanwhile, the safety net of the welfare state has been reduced to frayed strands.  CONTINUE READING ➡︎ Picks of the week... OPINION Postal Workers Have No Choice But To Strike by Aaron Bastani Royal Mail workers are going on strike over low pay. Aaron Bastani explains why they can't afford not to. Read more... OPINION The Tories Are Putting Jews in Danger by Making Them a Model Minority by Em Hilton Rightwingers are using Jews as scapegoats to push through draconian policies, writes Em Hilton, but the safety they offer in return is only an illusion. Read more... READ MORE ON NOVARAMEDIA.COM ➡︎ Back independent journalism. It's been a conscious editorial decision to publish reporting and analysis that considers what it takes to build a society that works for the working class. You won't find articles like this in the mainstream media at large. Billionaire funders and advertising partnerships define what is, and is not covered - and they certainly aren't interested in building a fairer society. But we are funded entirely by an audience of people who believe in what we do. Setting up a regular monthly donation is the best way to help us sustain our work, grow our output, and expand our reach. Support us with a monthly donation from just £1 per month to help us to plan our future, and be more resilient in the media space. Alternatively, you can support us with a one-off donation. We know times are really tough, so any support you give does not go unnoticed. Thanks so much – we couldn't do this without you. Copyright © 2022 Thousand Hands Ltd. All rights reserved. Thousand Hands Ltd is a private company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales #11245029. Its registered address is 10 Bridge Street, Christchurch, BH23 1EF. Novara Media is a trading name of Thousand Hands Ltd and, as such, the individual shall have no personal liability arising out of such communication, and liability or obligation rests solely with Novara Media. Opinions or advice contained in this email are subject to the terms and conditions set out in the relevant terms of business and are not necessarily agreed or authorised by Thousand Hands Ltd. We have taken all reasonable precautions to ensure that no viruses are transmitted from Novara Media to any third party. Novara Media accepts no responsibility for any loss or damage resulting directly or indirectly from the use of this email or the contents. Novara Media is regulated by IMPRESS, the independent press regulator.

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