Want
Poverty was seen as the key social problem which affected all others. In 1946 the National Insurance Act was passed which extended the Liberal Act of 1911 to include all adults. This provided comprehensive insurance against most eventualities.
It provided sickness and unemployment benefit, retirement pension and widow and maternity benefit. It was said that social provision was made for citizens from the 'cradle to the grave', catering for their needs from their time of birth to their death. However, the scheme was criticised for the large number of officials needed to operate it and others argued that the Act did not go far enough as the benefit was restricted to those citizens who had made 156 weekly contributions.
In the same year the Industrial Injuries Act was passed. The act made insurance against industrial injury compulsory for all employees. Under the terms of the act, industrial injury benefits were to be paid at a higher rate than for ordinary sickness.
In 1948 the National Assistance Act was passed which provided benefits for those not covered by the National Insurance Act. National Assistance Boards were set up to help citizens whose resources were insufficient to meet their needs. However, benefits were set too low which resulted in many citizens remaining below the subsistence level.