sickness

• At the start of the 20th century, there was no NHS, so those who suffered from ill health, and those who could not afford doctor treatment, had no choice but to suffer and return to work.
• In 1911, the Liberals introduced the National Insurance Act, which included provisions to help the sick - local councils received grants from the government to provide medical treatment for the poor.
• The act provided for sick pay and unemployment in some industries, as workers would receive 10 shillings per week for the first 13 weeks of sickness, and then 5 shillings a week for a further 13 weeks in the case of longer absences.
• People receiving sick pay were also entitled to basic healthcare treatment, too.
• SICK PAY ANALYSIS - FOR

  • Stopped sick people who didn't earn money from starving or losing their homes, and gave them the choice of getting treatment.
• SICK PAY ANALYSIS - AGAINST

  • National Insurance covered wage earners, but not their families.
  • After 13 weeks of absence, people received little to no income and did not provide for their wives or children if they got sick too.
  • Those sick in the long term could fall into extreme poverty.
• EVALUATION

  The needs of the sick were met more than the needs of the unemployed because many people felt they did not have to work through illness, which helped many recover, whereas the unemployed received nothing after the 15 weeks and complained they couldn't afford to keep up with the payments. In sickness, the sick had nothing to pay back.