This essay will explore the major limitations of the liberal government’s welfare reforms "between "1906-1911. During this period the Liberals of Britain embarked upon a wide-ranging program of social reforms because the social and cost-effective status of Britain was bad which caused dissatisfaction amongst the vast population of Britain.
Fraser (2003) states that social researches like Charles booth and Seebohm Rowntree both revealed the extent that poverty had infiltrated the country and that some people were too poor to help themselves, let alone struggle through out with the wages they received, this survey influenced Lloyd George and Winston Churchill who in partnership, conceded Asquith’s Government forward into a developed and active social policy.
This is comprehended by Thane (1996) who suggests that, the Liberal government focused on four groups in the society which are the old, the young, the sick and the unemployed.
The old age pension was introduced in 1908. This act gave pensions of 5s per week to persons over the age of 70 whose incomes were less than £21 a year. Those who earned more than £31.50 a year received nothing at all, and also married couples received seven shillings and sixpence a week. Ex- prisoners and those who failed to work received nothing. One of the major limitations of this act was that it did not go further and the money was not enough to meet the basic necessities and some died before receiving the Pension.
According to Alcock (2006), Liberal Reformers in 1906 introduced the ‘children’s charter’, however, the government allowed limited establishment to provide free school meals for poor children. The children charter reforms incorporated unwelcoming the sale of cigarettes and alcohol to children less than 16 years of age. The limitation of this agreement was that the school meals were not made obligatory.
The introduction of Free Health and Unemployment Insurance in 1906 was as follows, the mandatory...