This year's Social Policy Review follows the new structure introduced last year, with its three parts on the core areas of UK social policy, a wider exploration of policy issues, and a focused theme. As last year, we hope to combine a ‘hot off the press’ review of material by leading commentators from the UK and beyond, with personal analyses of issues from a variety of points of view.

Part One of this volume focuses on contemporary developments in social policy. It covers core areas of welfare in the UK, including social security, education, health, housing and the Personal Social Services. Each chapter has as its primary focus recent events and developments, particularly those that have taken place in 2004. While each of the five contributions in this section also attempts to place these developments in a wider context, the chapters vary in the extent to which they do this. To some extent this is driven by variation in the pace of change across policy areas. Developments in social security in 2004, for instance, were significant, in particular changes to pensions in the UK. Housing policy also witnessed a series of important developments in 2004. In contrast, a promised social services White Paper never materialised and due to this and other factors, the pace of change in the personal social services during this past year has been far slower and the focus is on a more gradual process of policy development.

Despite differences in style and scope between the chapters in Part One, each provides a valuable review of key recent policies and their impact that should be of interest to students, teachers and researchers alike.

Peter Kemp's chapter is the first in this section. He outlines recent developments in social security policy. His analysis begins with a review of key themes in welfare reform since 1997. He argues that New Labour has considerably reformed the social security system, driven by the need to adapt to societal changes and economic policy concerns. He then goes on to examine recent developments including those relating to welfare to work, Incapacity Benefit, policies for lone parents and pension reform, before considering emerging trends that could translate into major longterm reforms if Labour is returned to office in 2005.