Social Policy Digest.

The article presents information on articles that appeared in the journal "Social Policy Digest," for the issues from November 2001 to January 2002. Topics of these articles include health, education, housing and environment, social security and income maintenance, gender and sexuality. Statistics quoted generally relate to Great Britain as a whole, years referred to are either a calendar year and percentage changes are based on annual comparisons. In the social security and income maintenance section, a report estimated the costs and effects of financial illiteracy, including £3 billion a year in unclaimed means-tested benefits. Another report drew lessons from a failed project to automate benefit payments. The Financial Services Authority proposed to abolish the separation between independent financial advisers and those tied to a company. In the health section, an official review found the Great Britain National Health Service has been underfunded by £267 billion since 1972 relative to EU countries, but said general taxation remains the best funding method.