Welfare objectives and socio-spatial inequali

This book examines the geographical dimensions of public provision for the welfare of members of society. The focus is on personal services, supplied to individual consumers to promote their individual welfare, by agencies which are organized and financed, at least in part, as a state-operated system. These services are referred to as ‘public welfare provision’ in this text. Geographical factors do not always receive due attention in the debate over fairness and value for money in the public service sector. This book attempts to redress the balance by emphasizing geographical issues in the debate. The objective is therefore to describe the geographical dimensions of welfare provision, and to consider some of their implications for equity and efficiency in the public sector.