This book examines the way governments have tried to do provide a similar standard of living and finance its social services across England. It reviews the economic theory that underpins thinking about the problems of providing services in very different parts of the country. It then traces the way governments have distributed resources from the end of the last century until today. This book is well written and is accessible to social policy undergraduates ... will be a useful addition to my undergraduate welfare finance reading list. It goes into more depth than Howard Glennerster's Paying for Welfare and covers a range of different issues.