Liberal Welfare Reforms

Charles Booth-

• Didn't accept government statistics saying 25% of working population lived in poverty
• Investigated over 17 years then wrote books
• Found 31% of Londoners lived below poverty line: (couldn't afford clothes, food, shelter)

Seebohm Rowntree-

• Wanted to see if Charles Booth's findings in London were similar in York
• Found 28% of York population in poverty

• Social reform books were read by many (including Winston Churchill)
• 1899- Boar War- many men rejected from the army b/c failed medical tests
• British workforce not compare with USA or Germany
• 1900-Socialist groups formed Labour Party-
  they pledged better living and working conditions 

• David Lloyd George and Winston Churchill believed the state had an important role to play in the welfare of those in poverty
  (Influenced by social reformers)
• Realised that poverty was not always the poor's fault
  Before, it had been considered that it was (gambling and drinking)
• Liberals came to power in 1906
  (Conservatives had been in power since 1895) 

• They could
  they had 400 seats, so could pass radical laws without government intervention
• Boer War
  to make the British Army stronger
• To make a healthier and better workforce
  USA and Germany were getting increased industrial power
• Convinced by social reformers: Charles Booth and Seebohm Rowntree
• Political rivalry
  they had competition from parties like the Labour Party to gain the working man's vote. 

• Conservatives feared a "nanny state"
• People were unsure whether reforms were sustainable
• Tax payers feared reforms would be expensive
• Poor people were ashamed to be receiving help
• Employers disliked having to contribute to pensions
• Not everyone was helped
• Workers in National Insurance Act had to fund it themselves

-1906: Free school meals-
-Local authorities were allowed to provide
-Only for the children from poorest families

-1907: School medical inspections 
-Doctors and nurses gave compulsory medical checks
-Checks were free, but treatment had to be paid for until 1912
-Provided by local authority so standard of treatment varied

-1908: Children's charter
-Made children "protected persons"
-Children's homes were inspected
-Under 14s went to borstals not adult prisons & weren't allowed in pubs
-Cigarettes could not be sold to those under 16

-1912: School Clinics
-Provided free medical treatment for children
-Introduced because some couldn't afford treatments

-1908: Pensions Act-
-Gave weekly pensions to the elderly
-Funded by the government
-For those over 70
-SIngle person received 5s a week
-Married couple received 7s6d 

-1909: Labour exchanges-
-Set up labour exhanges (job centres)
-Efficient for both those looking for jobs and employers
-BUT the government didn't increase the amount of jobs available AND the work was only temporary so workers would soon be unemployed again.

-1911: National Insurance Act
-Aimed to prevent poverty from sickness
-Workers could insure themselves and get sick pay
-All manual workers had to join
-Workers, employers and government paid for this
-BUT sick pay only lasted for a maximum amount of time

-1912: National Insurance Act Part 2
-Aimed to prevent poverty from unemployment
-Workers, employers and government had to pay
-Workers were paid each week and could receive money for up to 15 weeks a year when sick