1. The Labour Welfare Reforms 1945 - 1951
Background info, including WW2

2. Social Welfare before 1945
Legacy of Liberal welfare reforms, 1906 – 1914
Move away from individualism to collectivism
Acceptance of need for government to intervene, to address social problems
BUT – only certain sections of society benefited; only intended for the poorest; some benefits means-tested ie had to prove poverty

3. Legacy of Liberal welfare reforms, 1906 – 1914
National Insurance – expanded over the years to be available to most manual workers
Unemployment Assistance Board created to help address unemployment
Old Age Pensions – increased amount
Large-scale government investment in housing eg 700,000 council houses built between 1931 and 1939
Free milk, free school meals, many government –funded schools

4. Influence of WW2
Conservative-led coalition government had to control all aspects of life  greater acceptance of state intervention for all (not just the poor)
Higher taxation (50%) to pay for war effort
War Socialism – creation of new government departments / bureaucracy
Public’s assumption that:
- pre-war poverty unacceptable
- deserve ‘reward’ of a better Britain

5. Influence of WW2
Unifying aspect of WW2 – all classes worked together for war effort; all classes suffered effects of bombing / loss of loved ones; middle classes shocked by poor condition of evacuees
Beveridge Report 1942 – massively popular with the public (635,000 copies sold); chimed with the desire for a better (post-war) Britain; Churchill less keen

6. Beveridge’s 5 Giants WANT (poverty) DISEASE (health)
IDLENESS (unemployment)
IGNORANCE (education)
SQUALOR (bad housing)

7. Conservative-led Coalition Government’s response
Proposal of a national health service
Acceptance of need for government intervention to regulate labour market
Proposal for comprehensive insurance scheme
Education Act 1944
Family Allowances Act 1945