The system: The Nature of the Beast

This is the first in a series of five about the state of Britain´s social security system. The System is a lifeline for millions of Britain´s poor, but it also consumes £90 billion a year – a third of all government expendiure. It´s huge, complex and in urgent need of reform, but how to improve it has become one of the most improtant issues of the decade. With unique access to the DSS, this series observes ministers, civil servants and many ordinary claimants – all caught up in the vast social security system. When Peter Lilley took over the DSS in 1992, he promised to contain what seemed to be a system sprialling out of control. Many feared he would ruthlessly cut the budget, but instead it has gone up. This first film investigates the scale of Lilley´s problems as he attempts to control this spending monster. By showing the plight of claimants in a local benefit office in Sheffield, it also reveals the human cost of trying to cut the budget.