-Social Security (e. g. income support, child benefit...)

-Health Care (e. g. NHS, free medical treatment...)

-Housing (e. g. private rented and local authority housing, problem estates, owner occupation)

-Education ( e. g. control of standards of education - Ofsted-, free education...)

-Personal social services (e. g. community care, child care...)

These elements, which are considered the pillars of social policy, were all part of a story of progress. It took a long time until the state was involved in what we nowadays call "welfare state". Many historic events and complex socio-historic backgrounds influenced Britain´s social policy. This essay can only give a brief overview of the "major milestones" in the history of the welfare state and tries to highlight crucial developments and the most important reforms.

Before the 16th century welfare was delivered collectively and free of the state. For example, in medieval times welfare was completely church based. The poor, the sick, and the elderly found comfort in churches and cloisters -if they were lucky enough and if the monastries th

I never realised before on what a gigantic scale the German pension system is conducted. Nor had I any idea how successfully it works! I had read much about it, but no amount of study at home [...] can convey the mind a clear idea of all that state insurance means to Germany [...] Does the German worker fall ill? The insurance comes to his aid. Is he permanently invalid from work? Again he gets a regular grant whether he has reached the pension age or not.

Socio-historic background: the inter-war years were dominated by mass-unemployment. Hence, much income for the unemployed had to be provided, which lead to a financial chaos

Hence poverty had been made a crime more or less and the poor were to be starved. However, it did diminish pauperism in a way since those poor who could support themselves were detered from applying for parish support. So, many people declined to apply for relief but were yet in need.

As for Lloyd George, more important than the willingness to imitate the Germans was the determination to outdo them since a sense of rivalry between Germany and Britain had developed as a consequence of a European arms race, especially in naval affairs.

Some topics in this essay:
Poor Law, Care NHS, Lloyd George, Liberal Government, Amendment Act, Poor Law´s, Poor Laws, House Commons, Report Socio-historic, Nottingham Bradford, poor law, lloyd george, national insurance, poor laws, age pensions, beveridge report, workhouse test, national health, trade unions, national health service, unions demanded, national insurance act, victorian poor law, social reforms age, reforms age pensions,