BIG BRITAIN SOCIAL WELFARE
1918-31
WELFARE PROVISION PRE-1918
Largely informed by Victorian Poor Laws → remained in place until 1930
o Poor Law guardians levied poor rate on local landowners + businesses →
to fund workhouses
o Workhouses = designed for impoverished families → more commonly
homed the sick + destitute n some became hospitals
Abolished by 1930 Local Government Act
1911 Unemployment Insurance → some unemployed entitled to benefit = 7
shillings/ week (for up to 15 weeks/ year) – however, avg. wages = 20 shillings/
week
o Women also covered + entitled to maternity allowance
o Covered 10% of working male pop.
Pre-WWI welfare = ‘a patchwork of local, voluntary and charitable organisations’
1918-20 ‘OUT OF WORK DONATION’
Designed to provide temporary support to ex-soldiers not covered by 1911
Insurance act
Paid out of taxation → early example of gov accepting duty to support
unemployed
1920 UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE ACT
National Insurance extended → covered 4mil in 1919; >11mil in 1921
Benefits increased → 75p for men; 60p for women
o However, avg. low-paid salary = £3/ week
Created the ‘dole’ – available without means testing
Justified by high levels of unemployment + fears of revolution (ref 1917
Bolshevik Rev) + desire to support soldiers post-WWI
1929 LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT
Councils set up Public Assistance Committees (PACs) → abolished Board of
Guardians (under Poor Laws) + transferred power to councils
1931-39
1931 NATIONAL ECONOMY ACT
10% cut in unemployment benefits (the ‘dole’)
Introduced household means test → in order to reduce cost
o Exacerbated hardship for most vulnerable – e.g., in Tyneside and S. Wales
o Disqualified ‘short-term workers’ – e.g., occasional shipyard workers
o Introduced ‘transitional payments’ = support after the max. 6 months →
PACs investigated to check eligibility
Required recipient to have exhausted all savings + sold any
valuables
1918-31
WELFARE PROVISION PRE-1918
Largely informed by Victorian Poor Laws → remained in place until 1930
o Poor Law guardians levied poor rate on local landowners + businesses →
to fund workhouses
o Workhouses = designed for impoverished families → more commonly
homed the sick + destitute n some became hospitals
Abolished by 1930 Local Government Act
1911 Unemployment Insurance → some unemployed entitled to benefit = 7
shillings/ week (for up to 15 weeks/ year) – however, avg. wages = 20 shillings/
week
o Women also covered + entitled to maternity allowance
o Covered 10% of working male pop.
Pre-WWI welfare = ‘a patchwork of local, voluntary and charitable organisations’
1918-20 ‘OUT OF WORK DONATION’
Designed to provide temporary support to ex-soldiers not covered by 1911
Insurance act
Paid out of taxation → early example of gov accepting duty to support
unemployed
1920 UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE ACT
National Insurance extended → covered 4mil in 1919; >11mil in 1921
Benefits increased → 75p for men; 60p for women
o However, avg. low-paid salary = £3/ week
Created the ‘dole’ – available without means testing
Justified by high levels of unemployment + fears of revolution (ref 1917
Bolshevik Rev) + desire to support soldiers post-WWI
1929 LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT
Councils set up Public Assistance Committees (PACs) → abolished Board of
Guardians (under Poor Laws) + transferred power to councils
1931-39
1931 NATIONAL ECONOMY ACT
10% cut in unemployment benefits (the ‘dole’)
Introduced household means test → in order to reduce cost
o Exacerbated hardship for most vulnerable – e.g., in Tyneside and S. Wales
o Disqualified ‘short-term workers’ – e.g., occasional shipyard workers
o Introduced ‘transitional payments’ = support after the max. 6 months →
PACs investigated to check eligibility
Required recipient to have exhausted all savings + sold any
valuables
