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Responses and solutions to poverty: the state and welfare providers

Past-paper questions pack

Name
Class
Date set
Date due
Score/ 182

Questions are numbered; the mark schemes (the answer key) follow on separate pages so the question pages can be handed out alone. www.alevelsociologytutor.com

AQA AQA AS and A-level Sociology past-paper questions since 2016 · 20 parts · mark schemes follow the questions · www.alevelsociologytutor.com · Questions and mark schemes © AQA

1. June 2025 · Paper 2 · Q11 · 10 marks · AO1=3,AO2=4,AO3=3
1 1 Read Item G below and answer the question that follows. Item G The state can take an active role in reducing potential problems faced by citizens. At other times, the state encourages people to take responsibility for any situation they find themselves in. The state has responded to the persistence of poverty. Applying material from Item G, analyse two ways in which the state has responded to the persistence of poverty. [10 marks]
2. June 2025 · AS Paper 2 · Q22 · 20 marks · AO1=8,AO2=6,AO3=6
2 2 Read Item D below and answer the question that follows. Item D Marxists argue that the welfare state fails to tackle the real causes of poverty. In fact, it helps to maintain the current system of social inequality by providing a minimum standard of living. This minimum standard deals with the worst extremes of poverty and therefore helps to prevent serious opposition to the way capitalist society is organised. However, sociologists from a social democratic perspective argue that the welfare state does in fact address poverty and is an important part of government strategy to abolish poverty in society. Applying material from Item D and your knowledge, evaluate the view that the welfare state has failed to tackle the real causes of poverty. [20 marks]
3. June 2024 · AS Paper 2 · Q19 · 2 marks · AO2=2
1 9 Using one example, briefly explain how informal welfare providers may provide day-to-day support to people in need. [2 marks]
4. June 2023 · Paper 2 · Q11 · 10 marks · AO1=3,AO2=4,AO3=3
1 1 Read Item G below and answer the question that follows. Item G The state provides various educational opportunities. It also supports businesses to benefit the economy. The state has responded to worklessness in the UK. Applying material from Item G, analyse two ways that the state has responded to worklessness in the UK. [10 marks]
5. June 2023 · AS Paper 2 · Q19 · 2 marks · AO2=2
1 9 Using one example, briefly explain an advantage of private provision of welfare services for individuals. [2 marks]
6. June 2022 · Paper 2 · Q10 · 10 marks · AO1=5,AO2=3,AO3=2
1 0 Outline and explain two ways in which voluntary and informal welfare providers may have affected the extent of poverty. [10 marks]
7. June 2022 · AS Paper 2 · Q18 · 2 marks · AO1=2
1 8 Define the term ‘universal benefits’. [2 marks]
8. June 2022 · AS Paper 2 · Q19 · 2 marks · AO2=2
1 9 Using one example, briefly explain a disadvantage of voluntary groups providing welfare services. [2 marks]
9. June 2022 · AS Paper 2 · Q21 · 10 marks · AO1=5,AO2=3,AO3=2
2 1 Outline and explain two reasons why people with disabilities may not receive the state benefits they are entitled to. [10 marks]
10. November 2021 · Paper 2 · Q12 · 20 marks · AO1=8,AO2=6,AO3=6
1 2 Read Item H below and answer the question that follows. Item H The welfare state was created to improve the lives and life chances of people in the UK. It has provided significant support to disadvantaged groups such as the poor. For example, various welfare state policies have been implemented to assist with housing and employment. New Right sociologists argue that people may become dependent on welfare support if it is too generous. Other sociologists argue that welfare state policies have not reduced poverty in the UK. Applying material from Item H and your knowledge, evaluate the impact of welfare state policies on reducing poverty in the UK. [20 marks]
11. November 2020 · Paper 2 · Q10 · 10 marks · AO1=5,AO2=3,AO3=2
1 0 Outline and explain two ways in which government policies have affected the distribution of income in the UK. [10 marks]
12. June 2019 · Paper 2 · Q11 · 10 marks · AO1=3,AO2=4,AO3=3
1 1 Read Item G below and answer the question that follows. Item G The social democratic approach to welfare is based on the idea that all citizens have a right to receive benefits from the state. Some sociologists argue that the welfare state is too generous and reject the view that the government should be responsible for welfare provision. Applying material from Item G, analyse two possible effects of the social democratic approach to welfare provision. [10 marks]
13. June 2019 · AS Paper 2 · Q20 · 6 marks · AO1=6
2 0 Outline three ways in which government policies may reduce the gap between rich and poor in the UK today. [6 marks]
14. June 2018 · Paper 2 · Q12 · 20 marks · AO1=8,AO2=6,AO3=6
1 2 Read Item H below and answer the question that follows. Item H A mixed economy of welfare provision involves the private, informal and voluntary sectors as well as the state sector. Supporters of the mixed economy approach argue that the needs of the population are best met by having a number of different welfare providers. For example, family and friends may be able to offer more personalised care. However, some critics argue that a mixed economy of welfare provision exploits the labour of informal carers. Applying material from Item H and your knowledge, evaluate the claim that a mixed economy of welfare provision is the most effective way of meeting the needs of the population. [20 marks]
15. June 2018 · AS Paper 2 · Q20 · 6 marks · AO1=6
2 0 Outline three advantages of voluntary groups providing welfare services. [6 marks]
16. June 2017 · Paper 2 · Q10 · 10 marks · AO1=5,AO2=3,AO3=2
1 0 Outline and explain two ways in which government policies may have increased the number of people living in poverty. [10 marks]
17. June 2017 · AS Paper 2 · Q21 · 10 marks · AO1=5,AO2=3,AO3=2
2 1 Outline and explain two reasons why means-tested benefits may fail to lift people out of poverty. [10 marks]
18. June 2016 · AS Paper 2 · Q18 · 2 marks · AO1=2
1 8 Define the term ‘welfare state’. [2 marks]
19. June 2016 · AS Paper 2 · Q21 · 10 marks · AO1=5,AO2=3,AO3=2
2 1 Outline and explain two ways in which government policies may have affected the gap between rich and poor during the last 40 years. [10 marks]
20. Specimen set 1 · Paper 2 · Q11 · 10 marks · AO1=3,AO2=4,AO3=3
1 1 Read Item A below and answer the question that follows. Item A There is now a range of welfare services for those in need. These include services provided by the state and funded largely from taxation, such as the National Health Service (NHS). They also include services provided by private and voluntary organisations. Some sociologists argue that state provision is more effective than that provided by private and voluntary organisations. Applying material from Item A, analyse two reasons why welfare services provided by the state may be more effective than those provided by private and voluntary organisations. [10 marks]

Mark schemes

1. June 2025 · Paper 2 · Q11
Mark scheme June 2025 Paper 2 Q11
2. June 2025 · AS Paper 2 · Q22
Mark scheme June 2025 Paper 2 Q22
3. June 2024 · AS Paper 2 · Q19
Mark scheme June 2024 Paper 2 Q19
4. June 2023 · Paper 2 · Q11
Mark scheme June 2023 Paper 2 Q11
5. June 2023 · AS Paper 2 · Q19
Mark scheme June 2023 Paper 2 Q19
6. June 2022 · Paper 2 · Q10
Mark scheme June 2022 Paper 2 Q10
7. June 2022 · AS Paper 2 · Q18
Mark scheme June 2022 Paper 2 Q18
8. June 2022 · AS Paper 2 · Q19
Mark scheme June 2022 Paper 2 Q19
9. June 2022 · AS Paper 2 · Q21
Mark scheme June 2022 Paper 2 Q21
10. November 2021 · Paper 2 · Q12
Mark scheme November 2021 Paper 2 Q12
11. November 2020 · Paper 2 · Q10
Mark scheme November 2020 Paper 2 Q10
12. June 2019 · Paper 2 · Q11
Mark scheme June 2019 Paper 2 Q11
13. June 2019 · AS Paper 2 · Q20
Mark scheme June 2019 Paper 2 Q20
14. June 2018 · Paper 2 · Q12
Mark scheme June 2018 Paper 2 Q12
15. June 2018 · AS Paper 2 · Q20
Mark scheme June 2018 Paper 2 Q20
16. June 2017 · Paper 2 · Q10
Mark scheme June 2017 Paper 2 Q10
17. June 2017 · AS Paper 2 · Q21
Mark scheme June 2017 Paper 2 Q21
18. June 2016 · AS Paper 2 · Q18
Mark scheme June 2016 Paper 2 Q18
19. June 2016 · AS Paper 2 · Q21
Mark scheme June 2016 Paper 2 Q21
20. Specimen set 1 · Paper 2 · Q11
Mark scheme Specimen set 1 Paper 2 Q11