Creating a Welfare State Flashcards
when were state pensions introduced and who for?
• 1908
• over 70s
what was the unemployment insurance act and when was it introduced?
• 1920
• created the dole for unemployed workers
How was the dole funded for under the Unemployment Insurance act?
• meant to be self-funded by the workers
• however this was made difficult by the 1920-21 recession as more people were unemployed, less funding
• therefore the government had to make extra payments and established the ‘seeking work test’ in 1921, limited payments to those who could prove they were seeking employment
• by 1930, 3 million claims had been rejected under this rule
Why was the means test introduced and when was it introduced?
• 1931
• introduced as a money saving measure for the government - a way of investigating and testing if poor people were eligible for benefits
Why did the people hate the means test?
• the test was carried out by local Public Assistance Committees - some were fairer than others
• the test was degrading and an invasion of privacy
• by 1931 400,000 people had their claims rejected or reduced
Why did the government find it difficult to ‘solve’ the issue of unemployment 1918-1939?
• spending cuts and tax rises didn’t stimulate the economy to create jobs
• too many were unemployed due to the Depression - too expensive to support them all
When was the Housing and Town Planning Act introduced and what did it do?
• 1919
• aimed to give power to local councils to use government money to meet housing needs
What did the Tory and Labour Housing Acts do and when were they introduced?
• 1923
• encouraged private and state owned building using subsidies
what did the (Labour) Housing Act do and when was it introduced?
• 1930
• promoted house building and used government money to rehouse people living in overcrowded areas
• most public housing was built in Manchester, Birmingham, Sheffield and Liverpool
How was the government’s house building scheme successful?
• 4m houses built between 1919-1940
• 20 ‘cottage estates’ built on the outskirts of London between 1924-39, connected to London by rail - work was accessible
• increased housing led to increased consumerism of furniture, boosting the economy and standard of living
How was the government’s house building scheme unsuccessful?
•600 000 houses needed to be built but only 213 000 were built before the Geddes Axe 1922 cut funding
• by 1923 a shortfall of 822 000 houses
• newly married couples had to continue living with their parents
• hardly any jobs at new estates
What was the Widows’, Orphans’ and Contributory Old Age Pension Act and when was it introduced?
• 1925
• provides pension scheme for low paid workers and sets retirement age at 65, still requires a means test
• funded for by insurance
• pension of 10 shillings per week
Why were Labour against the 1925 Widows’, Orphans’ and Contributory Old Age Pension Act?
Because it hurt the poor as more money was being spent on pensions rather than unemployment benefits
Why was pension reform more successful than unemployment solutions?
It was set by Chamberlain and not changed around as much, unlike unemployment reforms as there was only so much that the government could do.
Why were governments continually having to review and change welfare provision from 1918-1939?
Due to the change in the demands of the people after the war:
• during the depression unemployment peaked at 3 million: therefore welfare had to change to provide them more benefits and support
• pensions had to change in order to prevent those relying on them from becoming poor
• housing demands increased after WW1, (homes for heroes) therefore subsidies had to be provided for private and state owned building to meet those demands
Why were pension reforms successful?
• they were set and unchanging and funded by compulsory contribution (insurance) ; didn’t rely on taxpayers - if they did the government might have lost their support on Liberal Reforms
• provided good support to those eligible in a tough economy
how did the insurance system work?
friendly societies collecting subscriptions in order to pay medical costs
what were friendly societies?
mutual associations for the purposes of insurance, pensions, savings or cooperative banking who delivered voluntary welfare provision to Britain
Why were friendly societies not completely reliable?
• some were so small that they couldn’t afford to pay for the members’ hospital treatment
• some went bankrupt and couldn’t provide their members with any insurance whatsoever
what did the National Insurance act 1911 do and how was this an issue?
• only insured workers, therefore widows, wives and children had to rely on sympathetic support form local communities, family or GPs that wouldn’t charge them for healthcare
Why did GPs have varying incomes in different parts of the country?
• GPs charged for consultations and treatments; therefore they thrived in more well off areas
• however in poorer areas the people would only use GPs as a last resort and sometimes couldn’t pay for treatment
• therefore GPs would struggle to get by and would have to hire debt collectors to stay afloat
Why was hospital provision inadequate?
• relied on charitable funds - often would have to declare itself bankrupt
• hospitals were voluntary and were only staffed by visiting consultants or GPs
What was the impact of WW2 on healthcare?
• led to the creation of nationally funded organisations to deal with healthcare e.g National Blood Transfusion Service 1846 and Emergency Medical Service 1939 for civilian and military casualties
• the number of specialist treatments grew e.g plastic surgery, mending of broken bones
• led to the creation of the NHS - successful state response to dealing with war casualties inspired Beveridge report
Why did the health of the average Briton improve during WW2?
• rationing and increased government propganda about staying healthy
Why were pension reforms also unsuccessful?
• pensions were means tested and were for over 70s despite the life expectancy at the time being 48
• not enough, many on pensions were in poverty
Why was the welfare scheme funded by insurance rather than tax?
the Liberal Government didn’t want to increase taxes and lose support from the taxpayers about reforms
Why were trade unions unsure about the introduction of a welfare state?
because of the failure to provide income for the unemployed during the war, as well as the unfairness of the means test.
What was the impact of WW2 on welfare provision?
• led to the view that welfare needed to be rethought as the system was unfair and inconsistent
• total war economy - everyone affected through war measures like rationing and communal bomb shelters - everyone expected a reward
• total war economy also showed that state intervention could be successful and could be used to improve welfare
• forced the coalition government to work together in developing a new welfare state
What did the Beveridge report 1942 propose to deal with the 5 giants?
•want - national insurance
•disease - NHS
•ignorance - education
•squalor - rehousing
•idleness - full employment
>all provided through compulsory insurance rather than state funded
How did actual funding of the welfare state differ to the Beveridge report?
the Labour government used higher taxation was used to supply higher pensions and unemployment benefits •because compulsory contributions had to be lower for the poor otherwise it was take a larger proportion of their earnings
When was the Butler Act and what did the Butler Act do?
•1944
•reformed schooling and commitment to full employment, where all labour resources are used in the most efficient way possible
When was the Family Allowances Act and what did it do?
•1945
•mothers provided with a non- means tested payment of 5 shillings a week for each child apart from her first
When was the National Insurance Act and what was it?
• 1946
• compulsory contributory system introduced to pay for pensions and benefits for unemployed, sick, maternity and funeral expenses
What was the National Assistance Act and what did it do?
• provided benefits to single mothers, the blind and the deaf
• established National Assistance Board Act which used less rigorous means testing - 250 000 people able to claim higher benefits
How did the government promote the new welfare state?
• went the free pamphlet Family guide to National insurance to 14m homes
• 635,000 Britons bought a copy of the Beveridge report
How many people were using the new welfare state?
88% of those eligible for family allowance benefits applied
What impact did the new welfare state have?
• absolute poverty wasn’t really seen anywhere in the country, but the real issue became relative poverty
How did Beveridge recommend dealing with unemployment and what was the potential impact of the change?
•full employment, social insurance weekly for everyone
• however would be more costly
How did Beveridge recommend dealing with pensions and what was the potential impact of that change?
• pensions provided for through national insurance
• wouldn’t immediately be funded for by national insurance, means testing had to continue due to inflation in the 40s
How did Beveridge recommend dealing with healthcare and what was the potential impact of the change?
• NHS, free healthcare provided by taxation and national insurance
• more people can access healthcare so life expectancy increases. New specialist treatments also develop.
• however this made the NHS very costly and therefore underfunded
How far did welfare provision change from 1918-1945?
• was tinkered with but also limited due to lack of funding in the 1920-21 recession and the Great Depression
• really put into motion by WW2 as it fundamentally altered how people viewed the government’s role, needs to do more with welfare in peacetime
How far is the creation of a welfare state the direct result of the changing political landscape?
• there was an increase in working class voters, change in expectations of the government’s role
• Conservatives we’re a one nation party, represented the needs of all
• Liberals moving towards this with the National Insurance Act 1911 (the people’s budget)
What did the 1918 Fisher Act implement?
• increased school leaving age to 14
• provided nursery schools for toddlers
• created continuation schools for new workers over 14 to continue their studies one day a week
• scrapped all fees for elementary education
• compulsory health checks for secondary school children
What was the impact of the Fisher Act and when was it introduced?
•1918
• elementary education had been free since 1891, but parents found loopholes to pay for elements of their education - gave advantage to the upper classes
• few nursery or continuation schools provided due to lack of funding under Geddes Axe 1922
What was the Hadow report? 1931
• proposed primary schools to replace elementary schools for children 5-11
• proposed tripartite system for 11-15
What was the impact of the Hadow report?
• suggestion accepted but wasn’t implemented straight away, education not a priority compared to unemployment or rearmament
• tripartite system when introduced was viewed as degrading and based on class
What was R.A Butler’s 1944 Act
•introduced the tripartite system with an 11+ exam deciding which school was suitable for each student
How far were the different types of school equal?
• grammar schools had extra funding - best education provided to the upper and middle classes
• secondary modern schools underfunded, viewed as inferior education
• shortage of technical schools - therefore the 11+ was viewed as a pass/ fail to a good future
How did education differ for boys and girls in secondary moderns?
girls learnt domestic skills whilst boys learnt manual skills like woodwork and metal work
How did education differ for boys and girls in grammar schools?
• both genders studied academic subjects but girls were encouraged to study the arts and languages whilst boys were encouraged towards the maths and sciences
when were GCEs introduced and what were they?
• 1951
• aimed at grammar school children
What did the Robbins Committee recommend about higher education, and when?
• 1960 - recommended that the numbers of unis doubled
How did higher education change after the Robbins committee recommendations?
• number of uni students grew from 10,000 to 60,000
• 32 polytechnics introduced
Why was there a focus on developing higher education?
• the lack of science majors became obvious during the war, the demand for more educated people in emerging industries grew
When was the Crowther Report made and what did it recommend?
• 1963
• recommended raising the school leaving age to 16
When was Circular 65 introduced?
• 1965
•introduced by Labour recommending local education authorities to make secondary education comprehensive and to abolish the tripartite system
When were CSEs introduced and who were they targeted at?
• 1965
• more aimed at working class children in secondary moderns
When was Open Uni set up and why?
• 1969
• people could learn degrees at home, allowing people of all ages who missed out on higher education to become qualified
When was school leaving age actually made 16?
• 1973
What did the Circular 10/70 act do and when was it introduced?
• 1970
• Conservatives try to undo 10/65, local authorities can convert schools to comprehensive education if they choose to
Was university provision equal for both genders?
• no, in the 1960s less than 25% of women were in higher education
Was higher education accessible to the working class in the 1970s?
• the proportion of the lower classes attending university was around 5%, compared to 1/3 of higher social groups
What was the dole reduced by in 1931?
10%
Impact of growth of suburbs between 1919 and 1940
Helped economic growth by stimulating demand for furniture and domestic goods
What motivated an improvement of healthcare after WW1?
• 41% of the men serving in the armed forces during WW1 were unfit for combat roles
1919 Ministry of Health role
•Took over the functions of the Local Government Board and National Insurance Administration, all local authority health related duties, such as midwifery and became responsible for public health service provision
• however, many services including the School Medical Service and Factory Health Inspectorate remained outside of its control
What did the 1920 Dawson Report propose
Proposed the establishment of a network of state funded and state-organised hospitals
What did the 1926 Royal Commission on National Health insurance propose?
Scrapping or reforming the existing health insurance system
What did the rejection of the 1920 Dawson Report and 1926 Royal Commission on National Health Insurance illustrate about the 1919 established Ministry of Health?
• demonstrated its limited powers, especially in highlighting the Government’s reluctance to challenge the dominance of private insurance companies e.g Prudential who operated 75% of healthcare insurance schemes
Despite of lack of coordination, what important reforms did the 1919 Ministry of Health introduce?
• 1919 Medical Research Council
• 1921 Tuberculosis Act, requiring all local authorities to provide sanitoria for the care of TB patients, resulting in the number of TB cases declining every year between 1920 and 1938
What did the 1929 Local Government Act do?
•PACs (Public Assistance Councils) established, took over public health provision in local areas from Poor Law guardians
• provided benefits, the power to convert Poor Law infirmaries and hospitals to public, allowed local councils to oversee child welfare, school medical services and dental clinics
Pros and cons of 1929 Local Government Act
• Enabled better coordination of healthcare in a regional level by giving local authorities responsibility for overall public health in their area
• however, still no system of modern healthcare for all, less than half the population insured against illness
Implications of the 1930s economic depression on public health
• extreme poverty and hunger led to premature deaths
• infant mortality rates declined throughout 1920s and 1930s, however maternal mortality 50% higher in lower classes than middle classes
• Middle class men and women could expect to live 10 years longer than their working class counterparts
Impact of 1931 think tank Political and Economic Planning
• Established to monitor health policy, highlighted the inefficient, poorly coordinated and badly regulated British healthcare system was lagging behind other countries
• e.g 1937 failure to organise a coordinated response to outbreak of Typhoid in Croydon led to 50 deaths
When was Finsbury Health centre established and what did it do?
• 1938
• modern, purpose built clinics providing regular health checks, advice on hygiene and child welfare
• became a model for wartime health initiatives and establishment of similar clinics under NHS
1942 white paper under national government
• agreed to by all parties
• proposed NHS, funded by taxation
Limitations of 1918 Fisher Act and 1919-1930 Housing Acts
Aims not fully achieved due to 1922 Geddes Axe
Why was the 1926 Haddow report not implemented until 1944 Butler Act
Government preoccupied with rearmament and unemployment
National Insurance Act 1946
• established a comprehensive system of social security throughout the UK
• All of working age were to pay a weekly contribution- extended the scope of 1911 National Insurance Act
Impact of 1934 Unemployment Act
• established Unemployment Assistance Boards, by 1937 had helped around a million people
• for 14.5 m workers who had paid Ito the National Insurance Scheme, the act provided up to 26 weeks of benefit payments to those who lost their jobs
Hunger marvels as impact of unemployment in ‘distressed areas’ e.g South Wales and North of England
• October 1932 - 3000 Hunger Marchers greeted by a crowd of 100,000 supporters in Hyde Park
• however, Government refused to meet with the marchers’ leaders or accept their petition
Jarrow March 1936
• led by Labour MP for Jarrow Ellen Wilkinson
• 200 men marched 300 miles from Jarrow in Tyneside to London
• Presented their petition to Parliament but little impact in government policy, a ‘heroic failure’
• as a result of closure of Palmer’s Shipyard 1934
