1. Assessment of the Reforms Essay outline
Liberal Reforms
Assessment of the Reforms Essay outline

3. Introduction
Put the issue in context with a couple of sentences about why you think the Liberals set out on Social Reform.
Key Words could be:- Landslide election 1906
Fear of Britain’s position in the world
Fear of Labour
Surveys of Booth and Rowntree.

4. Introduction
Next tell me the Groups that the Liberals helped in a logical order.
Young
Old
Sick
Unemployed
Low paid

5. Introduction
Finally, tell me how you will deal with each group.
Detail the Acts passed, comment on the successes and reflect on what could have been done better.

6. Historiography
Just a couple of sentences to show this is still a live issue. Some Historians think they were successful while others are not so sure. Try to find a couple of quotes to back up your viewpoint.

7. Young
What was done?
Provision of Meals Act 1906
Administrative Provisions Act 1907
Children’s Act (The Children’s Charter)

8. Young
Provision of Meals Act 1906
Children could be provided with 1 school meal a day paid by putting ½d on the rates.

9. Young
Provision of Meals Act Successes
Key success:- leads to compulsory meals by 1914.
3 million meals to 14 million meals by 1914
Some children lost weight during long holiday.

10. Young
Provision of Meals Act Failures
Key failure:- voluntary till 1914 so half of Local Authorities not involved
Expensive.
Only helps schoolchildren.

11. Young
Administrative Provisions Act 1907 Terms.
Each child to have 3 medical inspections during their school career.

12. Young
Administrative Provisions Act 1907 Successes.
Key success:- By bringing knowledge of children’s illnesses into public view it led to compulsory School Clinics by 1912.

13. Young
Administrative Provisions Act 1907 Failures.
Key Failure:- Only providing inspections and not treatment did not help working class families who could not afford to pay a doctor for treatment up till 1912.

14. Young
Children’s Act (The Children’s Charter)
Terms
Gave children a separate Legal identity.
Made neglect a crime.

15. Young
Children’s Act (The Children’s Charter)
Successes
Challenges self help

16. Young
Children’s Act (The Children’s Charter)
Failures
Seen as interference by some parents.

17. Old People
Old Age Pensions Act 1908 terms.
Over 70 with annual income between £21 and £31p.a. 5s to 1s on a sliding scale. Had to be British living in Britain for 20 years, avoided prison for 10 years, not habitually drunk or workshy. Non contributory.

18. Old People
Old Age Pensions Act 1908 Successes.
1million by 1914.
No stigma as paid at Post Office.
Topped up income.

19. Old People
Old Age Pensions Act 1908 Failures.
Based on the way the Act was set out.
Too little:- 0 over £31p.a. 5s under£21
Too old:- 70
Too many exemptions:- avoid prison for 10 years, not habitually drunk or workshy.

20. National Insurance Act Part 1 – Terms
Sick People
National Insurance Act Part 1 – Terms
Everyone under £160p.a. If over £160 could join but paid Employers part
Contributions
Employee 4d, Employer 3d State 2d
Benefits
10s a week for 13 weeks, 5s a week for next 13 weeks.
Free medical treatment by Panel Doctor TB treatment.
Maternity benefit 30s

21. Sick People
National Insurance Act Part 1 – Successes
Established the insurance principle
Compulsory for all under £160 p.a.
Breathing space and self respect.

22. Sick People
National Insurance Act Part 1 – Failures
Only insured person covered.
Did not cover hospital treatment
After 26 weeks – back to Poor Law.
Could push people into poverty.

23. Unemployed People
Labour Exchanges Act 1908
Government run.
Place for workers and employers to get work and workers.

24. Unemployed People
Labour Exchanges Act 1908 Successes
414 by 1914 so a good idea

25. Unemployed People
Labour Exchanges Act 1908 Failures
Benefit skilled workers more.
Voluntary rather than compulsory.
Employees think they are ripped off.
Employers think they might get workers who can’t be bothered getting a job for themselves.

26. Unemployed People
National Insurance Act Part 2 – Terms
Contributions
2.5d Employee and Employer, 3d State
Benefits
After 1 week 7s a week up to 15 weeks.

27. Unemployed People
National Insurance Act Part 2 – Successes
2.2 million covered within 2 years.
Breathing space (as with Part 1)
No distinction between deserving and undeserving.

28. Unemployed People
National Insurance Act Part 2 – Failures
Key Failure Only 7 industries covered.
Others as with Part 1

29. Low Paid People
You must mention the following Acts
1906 Workman’s Compensation Act
For injuries sustained at work.
1908 Miners Act
8 hour working day
1909 Trade Boards Act
Controlled wages for “sweated trades” but fails to set a minimum wage
1911 Shop Hours Act
Half Day holiday and 60 hour week.

30. Low Paid People
Successes
In all cases the Government shows it will get involved in the market place to enforce minimum standards

31. General Successes and failures
A first step from Laissez Faire
Did nothing for rural workers
Did not tackle education or housing.
Reactive.
But
This was not meant to stop in 1914 but for the War.
With the opposition from the House of Lords and Conservatives if they had tried to do more they might have got nothing.

32. Conclusion
Sum up each group helped:-
Children successful as loophole sorted by 1914
Old people partial success but too old too little too many exemptions.
Sick good start as insurance based and compulsory
Unemployed too few industries covered.
Low Paid a good start as government interferes in market place.

33. Conclusion
Finally answer the question
Do you think they were successful or could they have done more?