As David Cameron defends his “moral mission” against Cardinal Nichols’ accusations of welfare cuts being neither “moral nor fair”, new polling reveals the extent of public scepticism about the morality of modern welfare. Two-thirds of the public believe that “you should only benefit from state services if you have been paying into the pot which funds them, even if you really need them”. This may be the Benefits Street effect, but there is a growing belief that even the poorest should contribute in some way to the fund which sustains them.

This poll marks the publication of a collection of essays from Theos, the religion and society think tank, entitled The Future of Welfare. With contributions from politicians, theologians and writers across the political spectrum, there is a surprising degree of consensus amongst many of the report’s authors. One theme stands out: if we are to create a better, and more affordable, welfare system, it must be built around reciprocity and mutual support, rather than resting on means testing.

Read the full blog at conservativehome.com