Problems faced by those in poverty 1900

• Poor housing


  • Living conditions were often over crowded with large families being cramped in together, led to disease spreading easily
• Unemployment


  • Workers had no rights and could be sacked at any time, if someone was willing to work for less they would get the job, not having a job meant no income
• Irregular employment


  • Many jobs were seasonal, workers would turn up and be told they were not needed, received no wages
• Workhouse


  • Extremely shameful and embarrassing, conditions incredibly difficult as families were split up and people had to do hard manual jobs to earn their keep
• Illness


  • If you became ill you received no income and probably lost your job, diseases were common due to overcrowded living conditions but the poor could not afford a doctor
• Little help given to the poor


  • Government followed a policy of Laissez-Faire resulting in no government help being available
• Rich had an uncaring attitude to poor people


  • Believed that if you were in poverty it was your own fault
• Poor diet


  • Malnutrition led to health problems such as Rickets
• High death rates


  • Especially of young children/vulnerable people who were at risk of catching diseases