How Far Did the Provision of Welfare Improve, 1918-1939?

Question 1

Overview

Pre-Existing Provison

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Answer 1

Victorian Poor Laws- poor rate on local landowners/businesses to support workhouses
National Insurance (1911)- 7 shillings a week, 15 weeks a year- deliberately low + covered 10% of male pop.

Question 2

Overview

Political Consensus

Answer 2

Shift- by 1914 growing consensus the state had a role to play
New Liberalism- responsibility of gov to provide/administer welfare

Question 3

Overview

Post-WW1

Answer 3

‘Home fit for heroes’
Introduction of ‘the dole’, Unemployment Act (1920), increased welfare spending
Great Depression- ‘means test’ introduced, unemployment 3 million

Question 4

Overview

Spending

Answer 4

Gov spending on welfare increased from 5.5% (1914) of total budget to 13% (1939)

Question 5

Unemployment Provision

Statistics

Answer 5

Unemployment never fell below one million (about 10% of workforce), peaked at over 3 million in early 1930s

Question 6

Unemployment Provision

National Insurance Scheme

Answer 6

Since 1911- sickness and disability benefit
Undermined by war- many of 3.5 million returning troops exempt, had lived abroad or not made contributions

Question 7

Unemployment Provision

Dole

Answer 7

Out of work donation (1918-20)
Money to returning troops + civilian unemployed, paid for via general taxation
Short-term, temporary solution

Question 8

Unemployment Provision

Unemployment Insurance Act

Answer 8

1920- long-term solution
Covered 11.4 million workers, payments increased
Theoretically self-funding, but rising unemployment undermined

Question 9

Unemployment Provision

Dole + Seeking Work

Answer 9

1921- dole payments to workers, but far lower (75p per week, bus driver earned £3)
March 1921- ‘seeking work test’, by March 1930, 3 million claims rejected

Question 10

Unemployment Provision

Local Government Act

Answer 10

1929- response to Great Depression
Unemployment provision the responsibility of local gov + Public Assistance Committees

Question 11

Unemployment Provision

National Economy Act

Answer 11

1931- gave PACs power to ‘means test’
This disqualified short time/seasonal workers, by end of 1931, 400,000 rejected
Unemployment made more financial sense than work

Question 12

Unemployment Provision

Unemployment Act

Answer 12

1934- distinction between long-term and short-term unemployment
6 months of unemployment insurance for 14.5 million who paid in via workplace
Unemployment Assistance Board- benefit with no insurance (means tested + lower)

Question 13

Unemployment Provision

Analysis

Answer 13

Effort to support unemployed, but limited due to economic concerns
Changing attitudes- however means testing + seeking work test suggests holdover of deserving/undeserving poor
View of unemployment benefits as gov responsibility

Question 14

Pension Provision

Old Age Pensions Act

Answer 14

1908- pension for eligble over-70s
Means tested + did not support widows or children of deceased

Question 15

Pension Provision

Widows’, Orphans’, and Old Age Contributory Pensions Act

Answer 15

1925- 10 shillings a week for 65-70 year olds + provided for widows, their children and orphans
Funded by complusory contribution, not taxation (opposition from Labour initially)

Question 16

Pension Provision

1930s+1940s

Answer 16

Little change
Both parties + public came to accept contribution based system
System implemeted was effective

Question 17

Pension Provision

Analysis

Answer 17

Changed little post 1925- effective system
Supporting the elderly important- significant expansion of pensions
Changing attitudes- acceptance of need for contribution based system + changing demographic of UK, elderly population needed care

Question 18

Housing Provision

Housing and Town Planning Act

Answer 18

1919- local authorities to use central gov funds- ‘homes fit for heroes’
Estimated need for 600,000, only 213,000 constructed- Geddes Axe meant deep cuts to spending
Estimated shortfall of 822,000 houses by 1923

Question 19

Housing Provision

Housing Acts (20s)

Answer 19

1923 + 24- gov subsidies to encourage private and state owned housing
Promoted housebuilding
By 1940, one third of all houses built since 1918

Question 20

Housing Provision

Labour Housing Act

Answer 20

1930- gov funds to rehouse people, from over crowded areas (e.g Birmingham, Manchester, Sheffield, Liverpool)
1924-29- 20 cottage estates created on outskirts of London with rail connections

Question 21

Housing Provision

Housing Acts (30s)

Answer 21

1933 + 35- Forced local authorities to tackle slum housing
Promoted housebuilding and forced local authorities to re-house people in over-crowded housing estates

Question 22

Housing Provision

Analysis

Answer 22

Attempt to provide housing for all- shift in attitudes, gov role in supporting homeless
Limited by economic challenges- unsuccessful, but some progress made
City/town building initiatives popular, housebuilding somewhat successful