The Liberal Reforms (Sick and Unemployed)

Question 1

The National Insurance Act 1

Answer 1

+ Made to prevent poverty from ILLNESS
+ Workers could get money from it if they fell ill
+ Free medical care and maternity
+ Workers given 10 shillings a week for 13 weeks
+ By 1911:
–>10 million men
–>4 million women using it

• No free treatment
• Families not supported if worker became ill
• Only for the poorest of the poor

Question 2

The National Insurance Act 2

Answer 2

1912
+ Preventing poverty from UNEMPLOYMENT
+ Only open to people in seasonal trades (ship builders etc)
+ Unemployed workers could be paid 7s 6d a week for 15 weeks

• Chance for it to be abused
• restricted to trades with seasonal unemployment

Question 3

The labour exchange act

Answer 3

1909
+ Labour exchanges set up all over Britain
+ Allowed workers to go there to find a job, didn’t need to go from workplace to workplace
+ Easier for employers to find suitable workers
+ 3000 people a day put into work using Labour Exchange

• Abundance of workers may have led to lower wage
• Rural workers travelling long distances