British history chapter 24

• War

  • Accelerated need for radical social change
  • Support from state needed
• TUC pressure on Labour in coalition gov

  Produce plans for insurance scheme
• Greenwood

  Set up committee to consider what changes could be made
• Proposed whole new system of welfare

  To conquer poverty, based on social insurance backed up by free health service and full employment
• White Paper published in December 1942
• 'Five giant social evils'

  • Want
  • Disease
  • Ignorance
  • Squalor
  • Idleness
• Disease conquered by

  NHS
• Idleness conquered by

  Employment policy
• Ignorance conquered by

  Reforms in education and housing
• Squalor conquered by

  Slum clearance
• They believed they should introduce family allowances
• Labour action

  • Extended provision of school meals and milk
  • Immunisation programme children against diphtheria
  • Old age pension increase
  • Free hospital treatment for war wounded
  • Extra help to homeless after blitz
• There was opposition from private companies and conservatives about the cost
• Attlee kept pressure on gov, report offered a vision of safe, secure and prosperous future
• Fundamental to the welfare state

  • Comprehensive social insurance scheme for cradle to grave
  • Minimum income
  • Everyone pay into scheme and entitled to benefits
  • Single system of cover where working people would make one payment that would entitle them to benefits for sickness, old age or maternity