The Liberal Reforms

1901 - Seebohm Rowntree found that there were people that didn't eat. They were most vulnerable at three points
1. Children
  1. 1906
    1. Local authorities were allowed to provide free school meals
  2. 1908
    1. Children and Young Persons Act introduced a set of regulations later known as the Children's Charter
      1. Imposed severe punishments for neglecting or treating children cruelly
    2. Made illegal to sell cigarettes to children or send them out begging
    3. Separate juvenile courts were set up - sent children to borstals, not prisons
2. Old Age
  1. 1908
    1. Pensions were introduced for the over 70's - gave them 5s a week, or 7s 6d to a married couple
    2. Old people cried as they collected their pensions, and said: 'God bless Lloyd George'
3. Workers
  1. 1909
    1. Labour exchanges were set up to help unemployed people find work
  2. 1911
    1. National Insurance Act passed
      1. Part 1
        Gave people the right to free medical treatment, and sick pay of 10s a week for 26 weeks in return for a payment o 4d a week
      2. Part 2
        Gave people right to unemployment pay (dole) of 7s 6d a week for 15 weeks in return for a payment of 2 1/2 d a week
Reforms and reasons
1. Reasons
  1. Seebohm Rowntree's study of York - 1901 - 28% population did not have the minimum to live on at some time of their life.
  2. Boer War - When Britain went to war (1899) 2/3rd's unfit to fight
  3. Germany - good system of state welfare for workers was passing Britain as a great industrial power
  4. Strikes - 1910-12 - growth of trade unionism - politicians feared might rebel
  5. Labour Party growing stronger, attacking working-class voters demands for welfare reform
  6. 1910 - Liberal Party not get majority seat (House of Commons) so - coalition with the 42 Labour Party MP's who'd been elected
  7. Many government politicians, especially Lloyd George, want to 'wage war' on poverty
2. Reforms
  1. 1906 - the Trades Disputes Act ruled that unions were not liable for damages because of strikes
  2. 1906 - the Workers Compensation Act granted compensation for injury at work
  3. 1907 - school medical inspections
  4. A Merchant Shipping Act improved conditions for sailors
  5. 1908 - eight-hour day for miners
  6. 1910 - half-day a week off for shop workers
  7. 1911 onwards - MP's were paid. Gave working men opportunity to stand for election
Facts
1. Free school meal
  1. By 1914, 150,00 children were getting one good meal a day
2. Free medical treatment
Lloyd George
1. Parliament Act 1911
2. He designed the National Insurance Act and Old Age Pensions scheme.
1890
1. Industrial Revolution
  1. Factories and towns were developed at an unprecedented rate
Social reform = changes to help people
1911
1. National vote

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The Liberal Reforms

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