How effective were the labour reforms of 1945-1951 in tackling the 5 giants of poverty
identified in the Beveridge report?
World war two had a significant effect on the public’s attitude towards the role of
government in their lives. People wanted a better Britain and most supported the creation
of a welfare state. In 1942 William Beveridge published his report on the social problems
that faced Britain. This report identified the 5 giants of poverty and also made
recommendations for a future government. In 1945 the Labour party was voted into power
and began to introduce a series of welfare reforms to tackle these 5 giants. For Want, the
labour government introduced an improved national insurance scheme. To tackle disease
labour introduced an improved national health service. To deal with squalor labour began
an ambitious house building programme and introduced the new towns act. For idleness the
policy of nationalisation was introduced. To tackle ignorance labour implemented the
education act. Although the reforms were introduced in order to tackle these giants it can
be argued that their success was limited as they did not completely deal with the 5 giants of
poverty. However, labour did in fact succeed in creating a safety net to prevent people from
falling below the poverty line and created a welfare state in an attempt to meet the needs
of all people so they were therefore overall effective in tackling the 5 giants of poverty.
One set of reforms passed were reforms passed to try and tackle the giant, want(poverty).
One reform that was introduced to address this giant was the National insurance act (1946).
The National Insurance Act was a safety net that protected people from all social classes
from the cradle to the grave. This act also provided financial protection in the event of
unemployment or sickness. Within this act workers received 26 shillings a week and married
men received 42 shillings. This helped provide everyone with financial support in regards to
any unemployment, injuries, sickness and old age as it was a universal reform which meant
everyone was able to benefit from this act. However, the act was not as effective as the idea
behind the national insurance scheme was “part payment”. For example, contributions were
made by you, the employee, the employer and the government. Under this scheme
payments were compulsory. There are limitations to the act as it did not provide for those
who were not in work and those who did not make contributions. Another reform that was
passed to address the giant, Want was the industrial industries act (1946). This act had been
put in place to provide care and financial support for those off work due to sickness or
injury. This reform had also provided financial support for those who were absent long term.
This meant that those suffering detrimental injuries would be backed up and supported by
this reform which could help prevent them from falling below the poverty line. However,
there are limitations to this reform as benefits could only be claimed after 156
contributions. One historian has calculated that welfare benefits in 1948 were only 19% of
the average industrial wage and therefore well below subsistence level. Because of this
many people, particularly the elderly, were forced to apply for National Assistance. Lastly,
another reform used to try and tackle the want giant was the use of the national assistance
act. The national assistance act was created to provide additional support for those who
were not covered by the National Insurance Act. The two acts together formed the basis of
the new social security scheme, with national assistance serving as a safety net. Whilst this
act did provide additional support for those who needed it, it had limitations. The benefit
levels were set too low resulting in many reciptients remaining below subsistence levels in
poverty. Moreover more people than expected had to apply for National Assistance which
identified in the Beveridge report?
World war two had a significant effect on the public’s attitude towards the role of
government in their lives. People wanted a better Britain and most supported the creation
of a welfare state. In 1942 William Beveridge published his report on the social problems
that faced Britain. This report identified the 5 giants of poverty and also made
recommendations for a future government. In 1945 the Labour party was voted into power
and began to introduce a series of welfare reforms to tackle these 5 giants. For Want, the
labour government introduced an improved national insurance scheme. To tackle disease
labour introduced an improved national health service. To deal with squalor labour began
an ambitious house building programme and introduced the new towns act. For idleness the
policy of nationalisation was introduced. To tackle ignorance labour implemented the
education act. Although the reforms were introduced in order to tackle these giants it can
be argued that their success was limited as they did not completely deal with the 5 giants of
poverty. However, labour did in fact succeed in creating a safety net to prevent people from
falling below the poverty line and created a welfare state in an attempt to meet the needs
of all people so they were therefore overall effective in tackling the 5 giants of poverty.
One set of reforms passed were reforms passed to try and tackle the giant, want(poverty).
One reform that was introduced to address this giant was the National insurance act (1946).
The National Insurance Act was a safety net that protected people from all social classes
from the cradle to the grave. This act also provided financial protection in the event of
unemployment or sickness. Within this act workers received 26 shillings a week and married
men received 42 shillings. This helped provide everyone with financial support in regards to
any unemployment, injuries, sickness and old age as it was a universal reform which meant
everyone was able to benefit from this act. However, the act was not as effective as the idea
behind the national insurance scheme was “part payment”. For example, contributions were
made by you, the employee, the employer and the government. Under this scheme
payments were compulsory. There are limitations to the act as it did not provide for those
who were not in work and those who did not make contributions. Another reform that was
passed to address the giant, Want was the industrial industries act (1946). This act had been
put in place to provide care and financial support for those off work due to sickness or
injury. This reform had also provided financial support for those who were absent long term.
This meant that those suffering detrimental injuries would be backed up and supported by
this reform which could help prevent them from falling below the poverty line. However,
there are limitations to this reform as benefits could only be claimed after 156
contributions. One historian has calculated that welfare benefits in 1948 were only 19% of
the average industrial wage and therefore well below subsistence level. Because of this
many people, particularly the elderly, were forced to apply for National Assistance. Lastly,
another reform used to try and tackle the want giant was the use of the national assistance
act. The national assistance act was created to provide additional support for those who
were not covered by the National Insurance Act. The two acts together formed the basis of
the new social security scheme, with national assistance serving as a safety net. Whilst this
act did provide additional support for those who needed it, it had limitations. The benefit
levels were set too low resulting in many reciptients remaining below subsistence levels in
poverty. Moreover more people than expected had to apply for National Assistance which
