Universalism and personalisation: squaring the circle

Just as universalism was a fundamental value underpinning the creation of the postwar welfare state, so personalisation is rapidly gaining a similar status in contemporary public service reform. This paper explores the background to both concepts and their current relevance for better outcomes. In particular, it seeks to understand how far they represent competing values and what kind of balance between them might be necessary to improve the health and well-being of individuals and communities. However, and as this last statement implies, neither can be considered in isolation from the wider outcomes they are intended to secure for people and places.