What Is the Function of Welfare Law Today? Consequences of the Work-Line Policy

Welfare law has emerged from primarily giving rights to persons with sickness or disabilities or who are excluded from the labour market, to having a number of different functions including granting general rights to welfare benefits for all, and thus having a vital economic function. The rising costs of welfare rights have led to a change in welfare policies from a focus on rights towards an emphasis on including as many as possible actively in the labour market. To achieve this, labour market and welfare rights have been combined in one administration. The risk of increasing demands of economic efficiency may however be a lack of political priority of the problems of poverty for persons who cannot work, or who are on the lowest benefits.