From Church Charity to Welfare State: Britain’s Long‑Struggle with Poverty

In this episode we trace how Britain's approach to poverty has evolved from medieval monastic almsgiving, through the Dissolution and successive Poor Laws, to industrial workhouses and ultimately the Beveridge Report that forged the modern welfare state. By analysing surviving records, legislation and historians’ debates we reveal what evidence truly supports, where interpretations diverge and why this history matters today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices