'Alcock has done us all a service. He has written an excellent, readable textbook. ' - Angus Erskine, Benefits 'It will be much used by students and others as a source book on poverty.' - Bob Holman, Community Care This text provides a comprehensive and accessible review of research on and debates about poverty and anti-poverty policy in Britain and beyond. It deals with the problems of definition, measurement and distribution of poverty and analyses debates about its causes and its possible solution. It is an essential text for students of social policy, sociology and related disciplines.