Old Age Pension-Liberal Reform

750 Words3 Pages
‘The old age pensions act was the most important Liberal welfare reform of the years 1906-11’ How far do the sources in this paper support this statement? The old age pension act was brought in by the Liberals to help keep over 70’s, who can not work, to keep out of the work house. It was provided pensions to half a million men and women over 70. Pensions were 25p a week (37p in total for a married couple) this was only provided if they could prove that they earn no more than 50p. In agreement to this statement source B, even though being propaganda and limited, shows a sketch appeared in a national newspaper, clamming to show some of the first people to collect their pensions from a post office, attempts to entice over 70’s to collect their rightful pension. It shows three elderly people (both men and women) looking happy and dignified while collecting their pension from the post office. The elderly people are shown as being shocked about the amount they are receiving thanks to the liberals, the liberals produced this not only to encourage people to collect their pension but to also win over votes. Source C is also in agreement with the statement yet is not completely reliable because it is from an autobiography by Flora Thompson so would have been exaggerated to be more interesting. Flora worked in a post office in the early twentieth century so would have had first hand experience of dealing with the elderly receiving their pension. She explains how old couples attempted to hold on to their homes for as long as possible and how they lived in fear of the work house. She then goes on to say how the pension was like a life send, how their “life was transformed for such people” and how they were “relieved of anxiety”. Source A both agrees with the liberals act but disagrees with it being important by saying it was not enough-this source is propaganda. This
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