2 - Dole and means test

History

What did the 1920 Unemployment Insurance Act provide?

The 1920 Unemployment Insurance Act provided 39 weeks of benefits (the dole) to insured workers who became unemployed, meaning those who had paid National Insurance.

Why were skilled miners and steelworkers forced to claim the dole during the Depression?

Due to the Depression, skilled miners and steelworkers lost their jobs and were forced to claim the unemployment benefit or dole after their work ran out.

What was the Means Test introduced in 1931?

The Means Test required people who had exhausted their insured benefits to move on to uncovenanted benefits (benefits they hadn’t contributed to), which was still referred to as the dole.

What did the Means Test require in order to receive the dole?

The Means Test required people to have their houses inspected to check their savings and possessions to determine how much dole they could receive.

Who carried out the Means Test inspections?

The inspections for the Means Test were carried out by inspectors from Local Public Assistance Committees (PACs).

What factors determined the amount of dole someone received?

The amount of dole was based on the income of the whole family, meaning families with additional savings or income would have their dole reduced.

What happened to families with savings under the Means Test?

Families with savings or extra income found their dole was reduced, as the Means Test factored in the family's wealth.

When was the dole managed by the Unemployment Assistance Boards (UAB)?

From 1934, the dole was managed by the Unemployment Assistance Boards (UAB), who used the Means Test to determine the amount of dole paid.

Why was the Means Test unpopular?

The Means Test was unpopular for several reasons:

Seen as a way for the government to save money rather than help the unemployed.

People hated having their houses and possessions inspected.

Families had to make relatives live elsewhere to receive the full dole.

People were humiliated by having to reveal their financial situation.

The dole could be stopped if officials thought a family had enough money.

What was the inconsistency in how the Means Test was applied?

Some local authorities applied the Means Test harshly, while others did not apply it at all, leading to inconsistency in how it was enforced.