History 1.7

• The post-war Labour Government in 1945 was determined to introduce key changes that would improve peoples’ lives and establish a welfare state
• The Beveridge Report


  A key part of the plans to rebuild and improve Britain after the war had ended
• The Beveridge Report was set out by William Beveridge


  1941
• Five giants on the road to reconstruction

  Want<|>Disease<|>Ignorance<|>Squalor<|>Idleness
• Five giants


  • Want – an adequate income for all
  • Disease – access to health care
  • Ignorance – a good education
  • Squalor – adequate housing
  • Idleness – gainful employment
• To help make a better Britain and to tackle these five ‘evil giants’, he proposed setting up a welfare state
• People had sacrificed so much during World War Two, they believed they had fought for a better future and deserved it for their contribution to the war
• Beliefs in a fairer society

  • Free medical care
  • Old age pensions
  • Affordable housing
• Safety net


  From the cradle to the grave
• It was a key Labour party policy, as promised in the 1945 election campaign
• The post-war Labour Government in 1945 was determined to introduce key changes that would improve peoples’ lives and establish a welfare state
• Main changes introduced by the Labour Government, 1945-50

  • The Beveridge Report
  • Aneurin Bevan and the NHS
  • Educational opportunities to all children
  • The 'Homes for All' policy
  • Nationalisation of the key industries
  • Reaction to the reforms of the post-war Government
• Education Act set the school-leaving age at 15 and introduced free secondary schools


  1944
• 11-plus IQ test


  Determined whether pupils went to grammar school, secondary modern school or technical school
• The choice of school was based on ability not parents' income
• Family Allowances Act introduced

  1945
• Parents were given 5 shillings (£7.54 in today's money) per week for each child after their firstborn
• This was to help cover some of the costs involved in bringing up children, eg clothes, food
• National Insurance Act introduced

  1946
• Benefits of the National Insurance Act

  • Unemployment pay for six months
  • Sick pay for as long as you were sick
  • Maternity benefit
  • Death grant to help with funeral costs
  • Old age pensions at 65 for men and 60 for women
• The post-war Labour Government in 1945 was determined to introduce key changes that would improve peoples’ lives and establish a welfare state
• National Insurance - Industrial Injuries Act introduced

  1946
• Labour Government's approach


  Dealt with the problems of the time
• Extra benefits for people injured at work were provided
• The Beveridge Report


  Spoke of the need for a National Health Service (NHS)
• New Towns Act introduced


  1946
• NHS services


  • Free medical services
  • Doctor services
  • Dental care
  • Hospital services
  • Maternity services
• Authorized the building of new towns at places such as Stevenage, Basildon, Newton Wycliffe and Peterlee
• NHS funding


  Paid for through National Insurance contributions and taxation
• National Health Service Act came into effect on 5 July 1948


  1946
• Aneurin Bevan


  Introduced the NHS reform
• Doctors, hospitals, dentists, opticians, ambulances, midwives and health visitors were available, free to everybody
• NHS initial success


  • Popular with those avoiding medical bills
  • Rates of infectious diseases declined
  • Life expectancy increased by 10 years
• Town and Country Planning Act introduced


  1947
• NHS initial failure


  • Lacked support from all doctors
  • BMA voted against NHS
  • High initial costs
  • Dental charges introduced in 1951
• This law set a target of building 300,000 new houses a year
• 1.25 million council houses were built between 1945 and 1951
• In its first year the NHS cost more than £500 million
• The law defined green belt land that had to be kept rural
• The NHS cost £248 million to run which was £140 million more than expected