Social Reforms

Question 1

Worried about Labour

Answer 1

1907-9 had success in by-elections

Majority of voters working class

Question 2

Drive for national efficiency

Answer 2

Boer war highlighted problems

9/10 rejected because so unfit

Question 3

Provision for poor inadequate

Answer 3

10% urban population ‘very poor’
Insufficient income for bare min
Old age, sickness etc caused it
3% of 35% poor people got poor law, was a last resort
Charities for children like Barnados but not many for elderly
Private insurance through TUs inadequate

Question 4

Knowledge of poverty

Answer 4

Booth published 17 volumes. London’s poor 1889-1903
35% London abject poverty
Interviews 1M people
Rowntree tested statistics in York 1899
28% of York in primary poverty
Both - not caused by drunkenness or idleness

Question 5

1906 Education Act

Answer 5

Free school meals 
Concentrate 
14M a year 
Not compulsory 
Not all LEAs used before 1914

Question 6

1907 Education Act

Answer 6

Compulsory to medically inspect children
1914 3/4 of schools provided free
Only cursory
Couldn’t afford treatment

Question 7

1908 Children Act

Answer 7

Parental neglect illegal
Juvenile courts and borstals
Illegal to sell tobacco and alcohol to children
A lot of legislation already existed

Question 8

1908 Old Age Pensions Act

Answer 8

5s a week for single people
7s for couples
Paid out of general taxation 
Not ashamed (poor law)
1915 1M pensioners 
Only 70+, low income 
Good character 
Only bare min

Question 9

Trade boards

Answer 9

1909
Fix min wage and inspect conditions in some trades
200K, mostly women in 4 trades
6 trades and coal miners 1913
Left out many low paid workers e.g. Agriculture
No national min wage until 1999

Question 10

Labour Exchanges

Answer 10

Job seekers and employers could meet
2M workers by 1914, 430 exchanges, 3K jobs a day
Not jobs for unemployed
For every one that found job, 3 didn’t

Question 11

National Insurance Act (unemployment)

Answer 11

1911
Workers and employers contributed
Received weekly benefit if unemployed
Topped up by state from tax money cover 2.25 million
But only covered certain trades and most workers weren’t covered

Question 12

New Liberalism

Answer 12

Originally ‘Laissez-faire’

New: needed help to achieve freedom and happiness

Question 13

National insurance (sickness) act

Answer 13

1911
Compulsory weekly fund topped up by tax 
weekly sickness benefit 
covered 3 million workers 
only workers earning below 160 a year 
People aged 16 to 60
Ten year age gap for elderly because pension started at 70