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Women were not allowed to vote until 1918.

Britain: British Society 1890-1918 - Liberal Reforms From 1906-22

Test your GCSE History on British society 1890 to 1918 and the Liberal reforms that began building a new welfare state for workers, children and older people.

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Fascinating Fact:

Labour Exchanges were set up in 1909 to help workers find jobs more easily. They aimed to reduce the time that people were unemployed.

In GCSE History, this topic looks at how the Liberal governments from 1906 to 1914 responded to social problems revealed by reformers and surveys. You study measures such as free school meals, medical inspections, old age pensions and National Insurance, and consider how far these early reforms improved life for the young, the sick, the unemployed and the elderly in Britain before and after the First World War.

Key Terms

Liberal reforms: Social and welfare measures passed by Liberal governments from 1906 to 1914 to tackle poverty, poor health and unemployment.
National Insurance: A compulsory scheme where workers, employers and the state paid contributions to provide benefits for sickness and unemployment.
Old age pension: A regular payment from the government to older people over a certain age who had low incomes and met set conditions.

Frequently Asked Questions (Click to see answers)

What were the main Liberal reforms between 1906 and 1914?

The main Liberal reforms included free school meals, school medical inspections, children’s protection laws, old age pensions from 1908, National Insurance for sickness and unemployment, and Labour Exchanges to help people find work.

Why did the Liberal government introduce social welfare reforms?

The Liberals acted because surveys by Booth and Rowntree showed widespread poverty, the Boer War revealed poor health among recruits, and there were fears about national strength and the growth of the Labour Party.

How did the Liberal reforms affect ordinary people in Britain?

The reforms did not end poverty, but they gave some families free school meals, basic medical checks, small pensions in old age and limited protection against sickness and unemployment, marking a step towards a welfare state.

Try These Related Quizzes

1 .

In 1908 old age pensions were introduced for the first time. What was the qualifying age?

60 years old

65 years old

70 years old

75 years old

Bismarck had made similar provision for German pensioners, but Lloyd George's pensions legislation was a novelty for Britain

2 .

In 1909 Job Centres were introduced. By what name were they known at the time?

Labour Exchanges

Employment offices

Work Centres

Unemployment Exchanges

This measure also showed a new version of Liberalism: that the government would increasingly be involved in areas that previous Liberals had regarded as none of the state's business

3 .

The 1909 Budget sought to raise new taxes on the rich in order to pay for increased military spending and more spending on welfare. By what name was this budget known?

The People's Budget

The Popular Budget

The Nation's Budget

The Welfare Budget

The House of Commons passed the budget by a large majority, but it came to grief in the House of Lords where peers could reject any measure coming up from the Commons

4 .

On what did the 1909 Budget propose to levy two new taxes, thus infuriating many members of the Lords?

Mansions

Spare bedrooms

Land

Profits from house sales

Most peers were wealthy and so they resented taxes on any kind of property or on profit from the disposal of property

5 .

In 1911 the Liberals managed to get an act onto the statute book that altered the powers of the Lords. They could delay certain bills only for a few months and others for no more than a couple of years. What was the name of this important Act of Parliament?

The House of Lords Reform Act

The Great Reform Act

The Parliament Act

The Representation of the People Act

The good news was that the Lords would never again be able to block a bill of which they disapproved. The bad news was that neither of two general elections in 1910 (January and December), intended to bring pressure on the Lords to pass the 1909 Budget, gave any party an overall Commons majority

6 .

The 1918 Representation of the People Act gave the vote to women for the first time. Which category of women was now allowed the vote?

Women over 30

Women over 21

Women over 18

Women over 35

Technically these women were given the vote to reward them for their contribution to the war effort

7 .

This act also gave almost all men the vote over a certain age. What was now the age qualification for men to vote?

18 years old

30 years old

25 years old

21 years old

Most men had had the right to vote before 1918. Now very nearly all did

8 .

The 1918 Education Act raised the school leaving age to what?

15 years old

16 years old

13 years old

14 years old

Reformers hoped to raise the school leaving age even further over time

9 .

Who was the first female member of the House of Commons to be both elected a member, and to take her seat - in 1919?

Countess Markewicz

Nancy Astor

Ellen Wilkinson

Margaret Bondfield

One or two M.P.s elected in 1918 refused to take their seats in protest, but at least one woman did

10 .

What nickname did Lloyd George acquire for his success as Chancellor, and for his work during the war as Munitions Minister and War Minister, as well as his leadership as prime minister?

The Welsh Wonder

The Welsh Wizard

The Wonderful Welshman

Wales's Wonder

Lloyd George acquired a reputation for being able to get things done. In 1922, when he lost power, many - including Churchill - expected to see him back soon

You can find more about this topic by visiting BBC Bitesize - Britain since c.1900 and the people's health

Author: Edward Towne