Liberal Reforms

The poor lived in cramp conditions with a huge lack of hygiene, but middle class people and the rich believed it was their own fault as they spent all their money on tobacco and alcohol.

The most important feature meant that any poor person who was fit enough to work, and they wanted help, they would be able to go into the workhouse.

The workhouse conditions were so terrible that only desperate people would enter, but so many people needed help there was no room in workhouses so authorities provided outdoor relief which is exactly what the law said not to do. Change was needed as so many people were living in poverty.

Booth published "Life and Labour of the People." This used evidence from house to house enquiry's, school records and a census. He described what it was like to be poor and believed you were classed as poor if you had an income of less than a £1 a week. He found that 30% of the population were in poverty and there was a link between poverty and death rate. He thought the main causes of poverty were sickness, old age, unemployment, large families and low wages. Poverty was beyond there control.

Rowntree studied town life in 1901 and showed that poverty was just as bad in a medium-sized city like York. He discovered the same results as Booth and that 30% of the population were living on an income of £1 a week. In 1899 40% of recruits were deemed unfit for all military action as a result of poverty which made them ill and weak. In 1905 the appointment of royal commission reviewed the poor law.

It provided free school meals and allowed authorities to also do this. 150,000 meals were served a day by 1914. Free school medical inspections were provided where a nurse inspected all children once year.

They provided a child care commitee, which provided support for families and children suffering from poverty and neglect. Borstals were also set up to stop children from going to prison.

The OLD AGE PENSION ACT, 1908 gave 5 shillings a week to people over 70.

The LABOUR EXCHANGES ACT,1909 were the equivalent of modern day job centres. It was a place where men could find work. Also many people paid into a pension scheme incase they lost their job. Seasonal employment was also supported by labour exchanges.

The TRADE BOARDS ACT, 1909 meant that a minimum wage would be brought in. Especially in small buisnesses.

The reforms helped the sick as 2 pounds a year was collected to cover them if they became sick. They also got free medical care but had to pay for medicine.

The conservative party would of hated the reforms as they mainly represented the upper classes. The reforms meant they paid more taxes to help the poor even though they believed they got themselves into their situation.

Good: Pensions meant that old people were able to afford to look after themselves rather than relying on family.
Bad: Many people did not live to the age of 70 due to poverty in the first place, they were often too old to work long before they could claim a pension.
Some people believed that giving old people a pension would take away the urge to save up through life.

Good: Children got free meals in 1906, free medical checks in 1907 and had their rights protected by law in 1908.
Bad: Local authorities didn't have to provide free school meals so not all school children got them.

Good: Workers got 10 shillings a week for 26 weeks if they were ill, this allowed them to still support their families.
Bad: Some employers didn't like the national insurance act because they had to organise healthcare schemes and pay every worker they employed.
Only workers benefited from healthcare. Their families still had to pay.
Some workers didn't like having to pay money into national insurance and sick pay out of their own wages they thought it should be free like a pension.

Good: Workers got 7 shillings a week for 15 weeks if they lost their job, this gave them a way of supporting their families.
Labour exchanges helped thousands of people find work. By 1914 it was filling a million vacancies a week.
Bad: The amount of unemployment benefit given was not enough to support a family and didn't last long enough.