Welfare Flashcards
The positives of welfare provision in 1920’s
1920 Unemployment Insurance Act - further 7.4 million workers covered from 1919. Payment rose for men and women. Necessary to support the high levels of unemployed and a fear of widespread poverty leading to revolution like in Russia, 1917
1919 Housing and Town Planning Act - aimed to empower LA’s to use gov funds to meet housing demands, 600,000 were needed
1924 Housing Act - increased the amount of money available to LA’s to build homes for low-income workers. Use subsidies to encourage the construction of private state-owned housing. 4 million homes were built in total
The negatives of welfare provision in 1920s
The biggest challenge they faced 11% unemployment
1920 UIA - payments were low in comparison to average earnings, presumed it would be self-financing but covered non-contributors
1921 UIA Amendment - U18s were to receive fewer than adults along with women who were to receive less than men
1919 Housing and Town Planning Act - only 213,000 built, stifled by the economic recession, young married couples living with their parents
The positives of welfare provision in 1930s
The National Economy Act 1931 - introduced a means test to limit the overall benefits bill. Benefits could be claimed for 6 months then reapply with transitional payments. Authorised by the Public Assistance Committee who would consider household earnings and check all savings were used
The Unemployment Act 1934 - reversed the 10% cut in benefits for short-term unemployed restoring levels to their 1930 level
1930 Housing Act - Cleared ¾ mill slum houses and replaced them with modern homes by 1939, promoted a great deal of house building. State funds to rehouse people living in overcrowded cities. Indoor plumbing, gardens- increased demand for domestic goods. Further stimulated economy- helped raise the average standard of living
The negatives of welfare provision in 1930s
The National Economy Act 1931 - the means test disqualified short-time workers (collieries and ship yards) which impacted deprived areas the most like south wales (unemployment made more sense than work), unemployed parents with working children would now lose their benefits even though it wouldn’t be sufficient for the whole family - the most hated measure leading to protest marches
The Unemployment Act 1934 - means tests of the long-term unemployed at a lower rate than those between 1931-34 resulting in large public protests (300,000 people in just south Wales)
Housing Act 1930 - some projects not thought through properly
The positive impact of WW2 on welfare
Evacuations - left poor urban centres to safe areas in the countryside, brought parts of society together that may never have otherwise, 1939 1st time 1.5 million children, gov made sure to provide the basics to later evacuees and provide social workers to distressed children
Food rationing - started 1940, nutritionists agree the British diet improved as less healthy food was available (vegetables and bread wasn’t but animal based products were), alcohol and tobacco weren’t but was often in short-supply, 1/3 population who couldn’t eat enough during the depression found their standings of living improve
Clothes - began 1941 with a yearly allowance of 66 coupons (a woman’s dress was 11), utility clothing was introduced to be simple styles to save material, the quality was so good people continued to wear it
The negative impact of WW2 on welfare
Evacuations - failed to provide necessities for the children such as food, clothes, spare bedding, assumed families or private charities would but these were sufficient enough to provide for the high demands
Washing - restrictions on coal and fuel heating, only have a shallow bath and soap was rationed to 3 ounces per month
Black market - direct result of rationing, benefitted the upper-classes who could afford the prices, still a class barrier
The significance of the Beveridge report
Extremely popular amongst the public and copies were sent off to the soldiers to encourage them to ‘fight for a better Britain’
5 ills of society - Want (poverty), idleness, disease, ignorance, squalor
Gov did not immediately implement - Churchill was against an excessive welfare state
All political parties adopted the report to varying degrees
Want - National Insurance and Assistance Acts
Idleness - promotion of full-employment, varying success as the policy was dropped in the 70s due to inflation
Disease - creation of the NHS, had it challenges, pay for glasses/the dentist
Ignorance - 1944 butler education act, lots of reports but slow change
Squalor - successful improvements in housing
Family Allowance Act
1945
Created a child benefit for the 1st time with the exception of the eldest child.
Payable to the mother rather than the father leading to an improved status for mothers who did not work outside of the home as they had a small income independent of their husband
The National Insurance Act
1946
Made unemployment and sickness benefits available to all workers, gave a state pension to men and women which was more if married
Guideline - universality so irrespective of wealth you were covered - abolished means testing
Major flaw was the amount paid into the scheme. Irrespective of salary an equal amount was paid in so poor people paid a larger percent of their income in national insurance
The National Industrial Injuries Act
1946
Gave workers the right to compensation for accidents and injuries in the workplace paid by the national insurance fund
On average 2,425 people were killed each year at work with mining being repsonisble for 1/4 of the deaths and injuries at work
The National Assistance Act
1948
Gave welfare to those not covered by the NI as they didn’t work
The homeless, disabled, unmarried mothers could claim and pensioners in poverty
Abolished the unpopular Public Assistance Committees and replaced them with a centralised National Assistance Board
Delegated many responsibilities for social welfare to LA’s e.g. finding suitable accommodation for people in need
The National Health Service
1948
How far was there a consensus on welfare provision 1939-64?
Broad agreement over the role of the state and the provision of welfare
Left and centre Conservatives saw it as essential
McMillian wanted to ensure there was no return to deprivation like in the 30s - moral responsibility to help the poor and knew cuts would be unpopular. Enoch Powell who recommended cuts were a minority
As the 70s began Conservatives began to question the amount the gov was spending on welfare
Economic challenges to welfare 1964-79
1964 election Wilson promised to increase spending but there was a hidden £800 million budget deficit which was a result of military expenditure and welfare and because of too many imports as a result of the consumerist society
Suggested to cut benefits to rescue the economy which he refused. His commitment to expanding welfare led to multiple economic crisis.
Forced to pay for the growing welfare state by increasing taxes resulting in resentment against the cost to run
Right-wing challenges to welfare 1964-79
During the 70s some Conservatives argued the welfare state led to a reduction in individual freedom.
Keith Joseph argued growing welfare led to reduced freedom and claimed people like Wilson would increase taxes even more so that more money could be spent on the welfare state.
