Health in general terms includes many non-medical areas, such as housing and employment. As far as individual is concerned, welfare benefits come in two main categories—fiat rate and supplementary. Flat rate benefits are those a person has an automatic right to (provided he or she has made a certain number of contributions to the Department of Health and Social Security). Unemployment benefit is one of these. Supplementary benefits are based on a means test. In other words, they are benefits given, regardless of contributions made, where the government decides that an individual has insufficient resources for a minimum standard of living. These benefits can be in the form of allowances for rent and rates, special diet, heating and clothing. Such benefits have to be claimed and the individual has to give full details of all his or her capital assets and sources of income. Unclaimed benefits amount to approximately $100 million each year. The originators of the Welfare State idea were concerned to alleviate or remove what they saw as the evils of their time. Their efforts resulted in a great improvement in the standard of living and life expectancy in Britain. This progress in itself has simulated the increasing cost of maintaining the Welfare State. Over 45 percent of the health authority expenditure on hospitals and community services is spent on care of the elderly. Yet there are indications that beverage calculated that less would need to be spent on people once they retired. Advances in medical knowledge have involved the use of expensive drugs and hospital procedures. Drug and alcohol abuse make increasing demands on the medical services. The present government is planning a new approach to the social security system, which accounts for nearly one-third of public expenditure. Changes in the movement"s pension scheme to encourage private schemes will start from April this year. Different ways of assessing need are planned. To enable closer monitoring and control, the DHSS has begun the biggest computerization program in Europe. Suggestions have been made by opposition politicians that the present movement intends to say "farewell" to the Welfare State. Although all the major parties in Britain say they are committed" to a caring society. There"s a considerable difference in the means each would wish to use to achieve it. As the old saying goes, "Only time will tell".