When Clement Atlee implemented the welfare state via the National Insurance Act in 1946, it was unlikely he envisaged the ongoing controversy, interest and modernisation it has produced. This week, the debate over welfare has been furthered with the National Audit Office’s (NAO) damning report on the current state of the Department of Work and Pension’s (DWP) eight-year old policy – Universal Credit.

The report, which was published this week, made headlines for exposing the DWP’s flagship policy for not delivering value for money now or possibly ever, potentially costing more than the current benefits system and being unable to measure whether it has achieved its goal of increasing employment.