Living Standards

• The impact of boom, crisis and recovery, and the significance of regional differences, 1918–39


  1. Short post war boom 1918-1920

  2. Unemployment problem (especially for returning soldiers) and overall falling living standards

  3. Factories shifted back from war time to peacetime production

  4. Optimism - promise of a "land fit for heroes" reality = not the case for many people

  5. Massive regional differences- mainly based around the industries in these areas
• Workers in the staple/traditional industries

  • Iron and steel
  • Coal (remember General Strike 1926)
  • Textiles
  • Shipbuilding
• 1920+


  Increasing problems = by 1920 1 million + people unemployed (by 1932 3+ million)
• Many of the unemployed were ex-soldiers (1/3 ex-soldiers were unemployed) some even resorted to begging
• Regions with mass unemployment


  • North
  • Scotland
  • Wales
• Staple industries


  Heavy industries such as coal, iron and steel, ship building
• 62% of ship builders had no job
• Areas of mass unemployment = massive problems = "Hungary 30's" unemployment benefit didn't go far enough some were trying to survive on less than £5 a week
• Often the family lived on bread, margarine and tea (little fresh veg and meat) some mothers went without = feed their kids and the bread winner first
• At the same time scientists started to get a better understanding of how a balanced diet was important and that a deficiency of some foods could lead to illnesses such as rickets
• Shortages were not just food - poor families could not afford to replace furniture, carpets or clothing = shabby
• Poorest families were forced to rely on "tick" at a local shop or pawn goods
• In the midlands and south = new industries emerged (electrical goods, cars etc.) low unemployment (20% of car makers no job)
• For the majority of people (those not living in the depressed areas)

  Living standards in this period actually improved due to prices (especially of food) falling quicker than wages were falling
• In some parts of the country there was a start of a consumer boom for things like products for the home and cars, but not on the scale it would be in the 1950's
• 1930's there was an increase in ownership of electrical appliances such as washing machines, cookers, vacuums etc. most were bought on credit. 1930-35 300% increase in sales of electrical cookers
• This was helped by the 1926 Electrical Supply Act which established a national grid (and standardised voltage) - this led to more homes having electricity. However figures show that most of the electricity used was in the south east
• There was also a fall in the average size of families due to increased condom use (less kids=more money)
• New chains stores started in this period to supply people with goods - Marks and Spencer's, Sainsbury's. Adverts also started to appear
• Young people also started to spend money on clothes and records
• Car ownership also went up. In this period 20% of households in the south east had a car (BUT 12% in the north)
• Overall, during this period that was an increase in the variety of food available - more and more fruit came from abroad
• This led to an improvement in diet BUT there were massive regional variations during the "Hungary 30's"
• Most fruit was still in tins and some even believed fresh fruit was bad for children
• The price of basic foods - tea, sugar, vegetables and milk - fell during this period
• By 1920 it is estimated there were 20,000 fish and chips shops in Britain (price 3p)
• During this period there started to be a move away from overcrowded inner cities to the suburbs. This led to suburban housing estates popping up. This was only something really open to middle class families
• Many working class families in the old industrial towns were still living in poor housing (for example a report published in 1950 found that only 46% of English homes had a bathroom)
• 1919-40 4 million council houses built - but there was far more demand
• 1914 10% of population owned their own home, by 1938 this had increased to 32% (cost of a new build small bungalow outside London around £250)
• After 1WW many soldiers returning had physical and mental (shell shock) injuries - there was only limited understanding of this
• Rationing during 1WW had led to an improved diet for most people (people were also drinking less alcohol)
• Improvements in health care had led to a fall in infant mortality and infectious diseases such as TB
• 1936 Act mad local councils responsible for dealing with any TB outbreaks
• But there was still no national health system and there were massive regional differences
• Poorest families struggled to even afford basic health care
• Remember after WW2 = Welfare State
• Butler Education Act 1944 - All stay in ed to 15 and 3 types of schools
• NHS 1948 (free health care for all regardless of wealth)
• Family Allowance Act (Mums got money for each child)