How has Welfare provision looked different over time? Flashcards
What was housing like in the interwar years?
- 1919 Housing + Town Planning Act - Attempt to build 600,000 new homes. Only 213,000 built before Geddes Axe cut spending (from £206 mil to £182 mil funding)
- As a result, housing shortage grew worse with around 822,000 shortfall of houses in 1923
- 1930 Housing Act moved people to better housing + created ‘cottage estates’ - plan was rushed + only successful in some areas
What was housing like in post-war years?
- 700,000 homes had been destroyed in the war
- 1945-1951 one million homes were built - 4/5 homes built by gov
- Use of pre-fab housing as they were quick to make - around 150,000 built but there still was a shortfall
- 1946 New Towns Act - designed to deal with overcrowding in cities
Give other important context to the area of housing in welfare provision over time
- Gov was far more dynamic + interventionist thanks to commitment to mixed econ. during + after WW2
- Commitment to ‘balance the books’ (Geddes Axe 1922) made slump worse in the 1920s
- Keynes in 1940s
What were the similarities in area of housing during interwar years vs post-war years?
- Both time periods had a shortage of housing
- Both recognised overcrowding was a problem
- Both introduced an act with the same aim
- Both time periods the gov had a vision to create a better
Britain following the war
What were the differences in area of housing during interwar years vs post-war years?
- Gov more willing to take direct action after WW2 by getting involved in market - really well illustrated by fact that 4/5 built by gov
- A lot more houses built in post war years than interwar years (a lot more successful)
- Although both introduced an act with the same aim, the act in post-war years was more fulfilled
- Pre-fab housing in post-war years was more quick + efficient
What was National Insurance + family support like in the interwar years?
- Passed to make sure most workers received unemployment insurance - only 2/3s had access (not universal)
- Economic slump of the 1920s made it unaffordable + the gov had to introduce means testing
- National Insurance Act was undermined by the war as many of the 3.5 mil returning troops not eligible
What was National Insurance + family support like in the post-war years?
- 1946 National Insurance Act created a compulsory system to help pay for pensions + benefits for the unemployed
- Payments were made by gov, employer + employee (self-funded)
- Support sickness, unemployment, maternity expenses, widowhood + retirement
Give other important context to the area of National Insurance in welfare provision over time
- Pensions before ‘46 only covered 65-70 thanks to 1925 Pensions Act
- After 1944 gov was committed to a policy of full employment - therefore it was a lot easier to make system self-funding
What were the similarities in area of National Insurance during interwar years vs post-war years?
In both time periods, the gov gave benefits (but in interwar years it wasn’t universal)
What were the differences in area of National Insurance during interwar years vs post-war years?
- Means testing was abolished/ended after WW2
* Became more accessible + universal
What was the impact of change in National Insurance over time?
Better protection for unemployed/sick
What was the impact of change in housing over time?
- Better quality of housing (less overcrowding)
- Decrease in the shortage/shortfall of housing
- Impact of Geddes Axe in interwar years - cut spending by millions
What were the similarities in area of healthcare during interwar years vs post-war years?
- Both tried to provide healthcare to most vulnerable
- Both recognised the problem of health + disease + tried to solve the problem
- Both tried to improve Brit. overall health
What were the differences in area of healthcare during interwar years vs post-war years?
- But before NHS it wasn’t fully universal but after it was + was also free
- Before NHS it didn’t work well (not successful) + not centralised/coordinated well but after NHS it was
- Healthcare improved more significantly after NHS as it was universal + more discoveries were made
Give other important context to the area of healthcare in welfare provision over time
- Beveridge Report significantly changed healthcare for the better
- WW2 was a big turning point - it helped create a consensus on healthcare system
- Mutual Aid Funds - before NHS healthcare wasn’t free
What was the impact of change in healthcare over time?
- Standard health increased (life expectancy higher etc.)
- Rising costs caused Brit. to have £800 mil deficit (negative)
- Healthcare available to everyone
What 4 areas can healthcare before the NHS be split into?
- Limits of the 1911 Nat. Insurance Act
- The War + Ministry of Health
- Mutual Aid funds/Friendly Societies/GP + Hospital access
- Gov change during interwar years
How did Limits of the 1911 Nat. Insurance Act affect healthcare before the NHS?
- Who wasn’t covered? : workers’ families & women + children were most vulnerable + had least access to healthcare
- Free medical treatment + sick pay for those who earned (compulsory health insurance)
- Employers, employees + gov. paid into scheme
How did the War + Ministry of Health affect healthcare before the NHS?
- Poor standard of health revealed by war - 40% of men declared unfit for combat (those who applied)
- Ministry of Health wanted to coordinate healthcare
- Limits to the Ministry of Health