William Henry Beveridge's Report 1942

The social welfare in the UK is very different in practice for example benefits and services are delivered at minimum level as the coverage it widespread and can be too costly or even extensive. The social protection in which the welfare state provided is irregular and unpredictable and the services are rationed very tightly. As the services have been contracted out to self-reliant providers the control over the quality and reliability of social protection had been even more difficult to maintain. (Spicker2014)

The report lead to the creation of the Welfare State that includes the National Health Services (NHS). The Beveridge report was not fully implemented by the coalition government until after the general election of 1945 that gave victory to the Labour party. The new prime minister, Clement Attlee, announced he would introduce the welfare state outlined in the 1942 Beveridge Report. The report include the establishment of a National Health Service in 1948 with free medical treatment for all. A national system of benefits was also introduced to provide 'social security' so that the population would be protected from the 'cradle to the grave'. The new system was partly built on the national insurance scheme set up by Lloyd George in 1911. People in work still had to make contributions each week, as did employers, but the benefits provided were now much greater (Bbc.co.uk, 2016).

In this same article by Dalrymple, the economist from the London School of Economics, Sir Beveridge with the concept of reconstruction ideas came up with several social welfares that the state needs to adopt. The very first one on the list was the abolition of “want.” The idea here was that after the war that Britain should be able to provide above the minimum standard of living to its citizens. Want which is the very first giant to reconstruction is partly, if not completely tired to the fifth giant which is Idleness. So, if wants to increase after the war, why then did “most Britain’s” said that the period after the WWII was “the best period of their life?”

Social insurance programs were designed to provide continuing income to citizens over 65 after retirement, health benefits and provide benefits for the unemployed, survivors and disabled. Social insurance programs are non-means tested, work based and incorporate a large number of people while public assistance

This essay will examine how the development of the Welfare State and the NHS changed the lives of the people of Britain since its introduction in 1948. To enable me to do so, I will analyse and evaluate the key relevant aspects that happened during that period.

In the 21st century the unemployed or sole parent households become reliant on income support and non wage benefits L. Kirkwood et al: 2006). In 2002, 8.6 per cent of GDP was spent on social assistance benefits in cash to Australian residents L. Kirkwood et al: 2006). Total welfare expenditure in 2005-06 was $90.2 billion, of which $61.3 billion (68%) was cash benefits and $28.9 billion (32%) benefits-in-kind (welfare services). Spending on welfare services in 2005-06 was 3.0% of GDP or $1,404 per person (Welfare, 2011).

William Beveridge was a man whom was asked by government to write a report on the best and most effective ways to help those on low incomes. This was after the Second World War when people felt they needed rewarding, which the government responded to by promising to create a more equal society. In Beveridge’s report in December 1942, he proposed that all people of a working age should contribute, which would benefit people who were sick, unemployed, retired, or widowed.

The Report of the Inter-Departmental Committee on Social Insurance and Allied Services, known commonly as the Beveridge Report was an influential document in the founding of the Welfare State in the United Kingdom. It changed the state function by expanding National Insurance and with the creation of the National Health Service.

During the Great Depression of the 1929, people were out of work and could not take care of their families. There were “Hoovervilles” all across the country. They were named after President Hoover. President Hoover did not believe that the government should take care of the people. He felt that if the government stepped in it would take away the people had for themselves. In 1932, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Governor of New York, was elected President of the United States. He immediately started his first “New Deal”. The government stepped in and helped the people. That is when the Welfare System was born. It started as a way to get the country out of the depression. The depression lasted ten years and the country was changed forever.

The Spanish-American war of 1898, although short in duration, effected policy in the United States for years to come. As part of the Treaty of Paris, the United States acquired Puerto Rico and the Pacific island of Guam while Spain granted independence to Cuba (Divine 694). The United States demanded the Philippines as a condition of peace and quickly attempted to annex the islands (Pearson 19). This led to the Philippine-American War which lasted three years and claimed many lives on both sides.

Between 1906 and 1914 the liberal democrats where in power, at this time it was becoming apparent that poverty was a big problem in Britain and reports from two men, Charles Booth and Seebolm Rowntree who had interests in social reform and the poorest off people of Britain, showed that many people in Britain where living below the poverty line. The liberals realised that in order to stay in power they had to make social changes and leave behind old laissez faire liberal ideas. Because of the level of poverty many families lived in bad housing had a poor diet and poor health. The Liberal government began a series of reforms aimed at helping

Roosevelt firmly believed that Government had an overarching responsibility to enable an economic system that allowed people to attain upward mobility and emerge from poverty. He led policy initiatives and took repeated actions to increase the stature and income of working class

It is plain to see from the policies above that a comprehensive welfare system offering benefits on a universal level was created from the report written by William Beveridge. However, it was still subject to criticism. These miscalculations and misjudgements meant the elderly, the disabled and the long term unemployed still experienced poverty because the level of benefits were too low. (Fraser 2003) Beveridge’s vision was to have to little or no means-tested benefits, his idea was that very few people would fall into this category and it would only be used as a safety net. That was not the case, more and more people, mainly those on low incomes had to turn to means- tested National Assistance benefit. Beveridge did not fulfil his vision in this part of his plan. (Timmins 1996)

The 1870 Education Act, universally recognized as Foster’s Education Act, set the structure of schooling for all children aged between 5 and 13 years old (Politics, 2014). Gillard (2011) mentioned that the 1870 Education Act which ‘established school boards to oversee and complete the network of schools and bring them all under some form of provision’ was drafted by Liberal MP, William Forster, and it was introduced on 9 August 1870. 1870 Education Act is the start of obligatory state education (Shaw, 2011).

1. What were the key recommendations of the Beveridge report? The key recommendations of the Beveridge report were to banish poverty from Britain with the introduction of a welfare state which was to be introduced once the war had ended. The report aimed to tackle such key parasites of society such as “Disease, Ignorance, Squalor and Idleness” The core of the report aimed for a kind of revolution in British society, absconding with all factors that harm its population and subsequently its progress.