History- Laws to Help Children and Old People Flashcards
poor families, old people, ill people, and people who were out of work or badly paid.
Children Needed Special Protection
In 1906, the School Meals Act allowed LEAs to supply free school meals paid for out of rates.
In 1907 LEAs started giving children at their schools free medical inspections. Many of them built clinics where they could hold the inspections.
LEAs= Local Education, Authorities. They were in charge of running state schools.n rates= local council tax
In 190 Parliament passed the Children and Young Person’s Act (also known as Children’s Charter) to give children some legal protection. The Charter made it illegal for children younger than 16 to buy cigarettes, go into a pub or beg. It also set up special juvenile courts- so young offenders wouldn’t be tries in an adult court.
Elderly People got State Pensions
Before 1908 old people with little money couldn’t expect help from the government. But in 908 David Lloyd George was Chancellor of the Exchequer. He introduced the Old Age Pensions Act. These are the most important parts of the Act:
The pension was for people over 70 on low incomes
The scheme was non-contributory – you didn’t have to pay money in to get a pension when you retired. The pensions were paid for by money raised through ordinary taxes.
In the 1908 budget £1,200,000 of tax money was set aside to pay for pensions.
Single people with an income of less than £21 per year got five shillings per week. Married couples with an income of less than £21 per year got seven shillings and 6 pence per week.
Anyone his income is between £21 and £31 per year got a smaller pension.
People with an income of over £31 per year didn’t get a pension at all.
First pensions were paid on 1 January 1909
Although Labour said five shillings was too little, the pension was immensely popular. Lloyd George took the credit.
Remember the aim wasn’t to help everyone, just the poorest people.
