Explain the reasons why the Labour government introduced a programme of welfare reforms between 1945 and 1951. (6

marks)

• You need to make 6 separate points from recall.

The labour government introduced the welfare reforms because the British people had come to expect that the government would provide welfare for those in need as they had done during the war √. The Beveridge report provided a plan for tackling Britain’s social problems through government welfare √, this was extremely popular. Labour had won their 1945 campaign after promising change √, British citizens would not let them forget this. The experiences of British citizens during the war supported the building of a fairer society in the future √, and the idea of socialism. Memories of rationing, bombing and evacuation of the 1930’s and 1940’s were still fresh in the publics mind √. Lastly the Labour party introduced the welfare reforms as British citizens did not want the return to high unemployment and housing shortages of the 1930’s √, as well as the lack of schools, inaccessible healthcare and inadequate National Insurance.6 out of 6

Welfare State1945-1951

Describe how the Labour government of 1945 tried to deal with each of the 5 giants

Explain what is meant by a welfare state that looks after people from “cradle to the grave”

Evaluate the usefulness of each reform

Welfare State

In a welfare state, the ____ provides a safety net of support through which no one should fall into _____. The core idea of the ____ state is that everyone can receive help if and when they ___ it throughout their life – “from _____ to the ___”.

Word Box

Welfare cradle Government poverty need grave

Labour Reforms

• The Labour party had to combat the issues highlighted in the Beveridge Report, they were:– Want– Disease– Squalor– Ignorance – Idleness

5 giants

Tackling ‘Want’

• This referred to people being in poverty because they did not have enough money. The government implemented 4 major acts to combat this:– Family Allowance (1945)– Industrial Injuries Act (1946)– National Insurance Act (1946)– National Assistance Act (1948)

4 major acts

• Family Allowance Act (1945)– Helped mothers look after their families if they had 2 or

more children– Cost £59 million – money came from taxation alone

• Industrial Injuries Act (1946)– Paid compensation for all injuries caused at work– Compulsory scheme for workers and employers– Entitled injured worker to 45 shillings for himself, 16

shillings for his wife and 7 ½ shillings for their first child– Lasted 6 months unless injured was off long term, they then

got a pension

4 major acts• National Insurance Act (1946)

– Improves sickness and unemployment benefit– Old age pensions for women at 60 and men at 65– Widows’ and Orphans’ pensions and maternity and death grants introduced– Compulsory for all workers– Covered sickness/employment insurance (not strike/unemployed)– Men paid 4 s & 11 d (women/youths paid less) into scheme– Single men received 26 shillings, married men 42 shillings– System paid for itself, and made surplus of £95 million 1948-9

• National Assistant Acts (1948)– Helped people who were not in work, received low wages or the old who had not paid

enough contributions into the new National Insurance scheme – People in need could apply for help from National Assistant Boards– Had to pass a “Needs Test” – Payments were low and could be weekly or a one-off clothing/ bedding grant– **This Act finished the workhouse– *Old age pension was calculated every 5 years it meant old people needed help from the

National Assistance Board (NAB)

Successes*Included all workers and families in the scheme

Limitations*Weekly payments into insurance fund took up 5% of average earnings*People joining the scheme for the first time did not get full pension benefits for 10 years.*Pensions were still not enough to live on

National 4/5

• Describe the Reforms introduced by the labour party to tackle poverty in Britain. (4)

• You will want to focus on the 4 main acts passed