Steven King. Fraudulent Lives. Imagining Welfare Cheats from the Poor Law to the Present Montreal: McGill-Queen’s University Press, 2024. Pp. 349. 110. 00 (cloth).

Key Points

• The book examines the historical perceptions of welfare fraud and its implications for social policy.
• Historical analysis of welfare policies from the Poor Law era to modern times.
• Review of literature related to public perceptions of welfare recipients and fraud.
• Case studies illustrating narratives surrounding welfare cheats.
• Highlights the evolution of welfare fraud narratives over time.
• Demonstrates the impact of social perceptions on policy decisions regarding welfare.
• Explores the stigma associated with welfare and its effects on the poor.