The fourth edition of The Student's Companion to Social Policy maintains the text's inimitable and best-selling approach. Written by a wide range of experts in the field, it has been extensively updated and revised to take account of recent developments and debates and changing political and economic configurations. The fourth edition has been extensively revised and is again written by experts at the forefront of the discipline Includes an additional five chapter section on the key themes and issues in the development of social policy in the UK since the nineteenth century New to this edition are chapters addressing emergent areas in the discipline, new illustrative material, problem-centred review questions, and a dedicated website Provides students with a ‘Companion' which is so comprehensive that it can be used throughout their undergraduate and/or postgraduate studies Meets the needs both of those specialising in social policy or policy-related occupations and the wide range of students studying it as part of other programmes