In Britain, former name (1966-88) for income
support, weekly social security payments by
the state to those with low incomes. The
payments were called national assistance
1948-66 in Britain and consisted of a weekly
payment made by the government to individuals
whose income was considered to be lower than
a legally determined minimum and who did not
qualify for contributory benefits such as
unemployment benefit or earnings-related
pensions. Until 1983 it included housing
subsidies. The theory of such a system, to
catch those falling through the benefits
`act', formed part of the Beveridge Report.