The National Assistance Act 70 years on: implications for social care

2018 marks the 70th anniversary of the National Assistance Act (NAA) 1948, which helped to shape social services into their current form.

The Act created a safety net for people who, through circumstances such as old age or disability, could not pay into national insurance.

The Act created a legal duty for local authorities  to provide suitable accommodation for those for whom support was not available elsewhere It was this legislation that underpinned care for older people, people with disabilities and people in need of mental health services until the Care Act 2014.

At this event, we will discuss and share early findings from the ESRC’s Sustainable Care Programme (Comparing UK Care Systems). Speakers include Professor Catherine Needham, Professor Jon Glasby and Patrick Hall. They will discuss how the UK’s four nations are developing and their different relationships to the NAA. We will also explore the history and the ongoing legacy of the NAA, including: health and care integration, the role of local government and the third sector.

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This event is part of the Festival of Social Science which runs from 3-10 November 2018. See what other events are taking place in the College of Social Sciences at the University of Birmingham.