Report of the Royal Commission on the Aged Poor, appointed to consider whether any alterations in the system of Poor Law Relief are desirable, in the case of persons whose destitution is occasioned by incapacity for work resulting from old age, or whether assistance could otherwise be afforded in those cases. Vols I - III [Minutes of evidence taken before the Royal Commission on the Aged Poor. Days 1 to 26. Vol. II.-- Minutes of evidence taken before the Royal Commission on the Aged Poor. Days 27 to 48. With appendix and index. Vol. III.].

Great Britain. Royal Commission on the Aged Poor

Date:: 1895

Credit: Report of the Royal Commission on the Aged Poor, appointed to consider whether any alterations in the system of Poor Law Relief are desirable, in the case of persons whose destitution is occasioned by incapacity for work resulting from old age, or whether assistance could otherwise be afforded in those cases. Vols I - III [Minutes of evidence taken before the Royal Commission on the Aged Poor. Days 1 to 26. Vol. II.-- Minutes of evidence taken before the Royal Commission on the Aged Poor. Days 27 to 48. With appendix and index. Vol. III.]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Library & Archives Service. The original may be consulted at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Library & Archives Service.

1196/1212 page 1042

$STATE PENSION'S: Mr. Booth's Scheme—cow(. efFect on taxpayers, 12,819; examined in detail, with reference to contention that universal scheme appeals to selfish instincts and that thrifty -would pay for unthrifty, 13,004^34: comparison with small private prospects, 13,037- -45; with deferred pay pensions, 13,053-5 ; with free education, 13,056 : would lead to cry for free sick pay, 12,819. Mr. Burton. Scheme satisfactory, 16,227-9, 16,349-51 ; for women also, 16,285; should be provided by taxation, 16,232, 16,234; incidence of charge, 16,359-60. Me. Chamberlain. Mr. Booth's scheme logical and adequate, but im- practicable at present, because of enormous cost, 12,197-8, 12,647. Miss Cliitord. Scheme would help those with some savings, 6437- 40: Mr. Hardy. Merits and difficulties of scheme ; ideally perfect, but too costly; 11,692 (end), 11,774; comparative cost to working man of Mr. Booth's and Mr. Chamber- lain's schemes, 11,942-9. Miss Hill. Scheme inad«quate; too general, and would destroy responsibility of relatives, 10,465-7. Mr. Hunter. Comparison of cost to working clasaes of Mr. Booth's and Mr. Chamberlain's Schemes. See analysis of evidence. Mr. Lansbtjrt. Mr. Booth's scheme of 5s. a week all round better than present Poor Law system, 13,919-21. Mr. Mackay. Universal [Mr. Booth's] scheme; objections; enor- mous cost for real need of few, 9828, 9861-5; injury to benefit clubs and thrift in earlj^ life, 9828-34; tendency to lower wages of old and generally, 9969-82; compared with privgte in- heritance, 9941-57, 10,016-8; a form of protection, 9969-73; 5s. would not prevent recipients from working, 9983-4, 10,024-5. Mr. Manley. Universal pensions desirable, 5s. a week for all at 65, 16,451-7, 16,498-510; to be given to all, irrespec- tive of character, 16,531-40 ; or position, 16,456-7 ; even the richest, 16,494-6 ; would encourage thrift, 16,463-6, 16,610; to be paid for by all through indirect taxation, and thus not pauperising, 16,494- 8, 16,511-3. Savings for extra pension should also be kept for old age, with State guarantee, but no aid, 16,467-79, 16,498-510 ; best kept by State, e.g.. Post Ofiice, 16,470-1; not to be withdrawn before, 16,475-6. these views widely held, 16,477-8. Professok Marshall. Much better than things as they are, 10,356; but not sufficiently curative and educational, 10,366-7. Mr. Stead. Scheme logical but unnecessary, 12,451 Mr. Vallance. 58. pensions would not support the sick outside the infirmary, 2609, 2510; or the old and homeless already in the workhouse, 2510-12; but would support many old persons who had kept outside, 2542-6, 2563-8: universal pensions another name for out-door relief, 2547-9, 2620. STATE PENSIONS: Mr. Booth's Scheme—co»{. Rev. J. F. Wilkinson. Advantages and defects •f Mr. Booth's scheme discussed; perfect ideal scheme, but difficulties of detail, 5848-55, 6002-16; cost and mode of inci- dence, 6,004-7, 6012-6. STATE PENSIONS : (2.) Scheme submitted by Mr. Chamberlain : Mr. Chamberlain. Scheme of Parliamentary Commiitee, as suhmitted by Mr. Chamberlain. origin and history, 12,199, 12,304-14 : is meant to be partial elastic and tentative, could be extended like education, 12,199-200, 12,277-8, 12,635-7, 12,647: favourably but not yet widely considered by working classes, 12,282-4, 12,344-5: grounds for State help for aged ; (1) large number of deserving who come to want in old age ; and (2) interests of strict poor law, 12,170, 12,191, 12,304-10, 12,321-6. Permanent provisions ; 3 cases. Case I. old age insurance, non-returnable, 6s. a week at 65, 12,201: deposit of 21. 10s. at 25, 12,201: State aid of lOZ. accruing at once, 12,201-4: insurer to pay 10s. a year afterwards, 12,205: more than 5s. may be insured, but State aid limited to lOL, 12,205-6: Case II. with benefits in case of death before 65, 12.206- 14: deposit of 5Z., State aid 151., annual payment IZ., 12,206 ; mode of payment might be varied, 12,211: particulars of additional benefits to widow and children, &c., 12,206; might be varied, 12,211; average cost would be covered by the 15Z., 12,700-10 ; unlikely to increase families, 12,686-8. Cases I. am,d II. pensions best payable weekly, 12,217; 5s. a week with private help would meet almost all cases, 12,218-19; entrance might be earlier than 25, time and amount of pension varied according to table to be prepared, 12,220-3, 12,242, 12,731-6 : administration through Post Office, 12,214-6 ; account would be simple, 12,216 : special rates and benefits for women, 12,211: value of lump deposit to prevent secessions, 12.201, 12,335-6, 12,730; almost all could pay with help of employers, &c., 12,224: arrears and lapses, provisions as to, must be de- terrent, 12,211-4, 12,737-40 ; insurer must see after his own payments, 12,270-1: value of early deposit and stimulus, illustration, 12,205, 12,242, 12,265 : mode of giving State stimulus, with reasons, 12.202, 12,610-3, 12,622: actuarial calculations, 12,208-11. 12,681-2, 12,700-11. Case III. co-operating with friendly societies, 12,226-32 ; and trade unions, 12,337 : payment of 30s. by men, or 25s. by women at 24, to secure doubling of society old age pension of 2s. 6(Z. or Is. U. at 65, 12,225: great value of such co-operation, 12,225 ; opinion of friendly societies on it; some objections but signs of favour, 12,226-7 ; favourable opinion of leading official, 12,231-2 ; thinks objection is not to State aid, but State control, which is not intended, 12,228-9, 12,650-9, 12,745-8 : no State guarantee of societies proposed, except as to separate old age fund, 12,230; this to advantage of solvent societies, 12,231, 12,674- 80: trade unions to come under scheme must have separate old age fund not liable for strikes, 12,346-53 : this would benefit them, 12,571-3.$

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