Metadata : Unemployment Assistance Board and successor: Assistance and Pensions, Representative Case Papers
Collection
- Country:
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
- Holding institution:
- The National Archives (UK)
- Holding institution (official language):
- The National Archives (UK)
- Postal address:
- KewRichmondLondonGreater LondonUnited KingdomTW9 4DU
- Phone number:
- Telephone: 020 8876 3444
- Web address:
- http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/
- Country:
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
- Holding institution:
- The National Archives (UK)
- Holding institution (official language):
- The National Archives (UK)
- Postal address:
- KewRichmondLondonGreater LondonUnited KingdomTW9 4DU
- Phone number:
- Telephone: 020 8876 3444
- Web address:
- http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/
- Reference number:
- AST 1
- Title:
- Unemployment Assistance Board and successor: Assistance and Pensions, Representative Case Papers
- Title (official language):
- Unemployment Assistance Board and successor: Assistance and Pensions, Representative Case Papers
- Date(s):
- 1935/1991
- Language:
- English
- Extent:
- 85 boxes
- Scope and content:
- Representative case papers relating to different districts of Great Britain and to different aspects of the work of the Unemployment Assistance Board and its successors, in respect of unemployment assistance, old age pensions and supplementary pensions and benefits together with specimens of the forms in use. The series also includes papers relating to assistance and grants to Polish and Jewish refugees during the Second World War.
- Administrative/biographical history:
- The Unemployment Assistance Board was established under the Unemployment Act 1934 with power to assist able-bodied unemployed persons throughout Great Britain whose insurance benefits were either exhausted or insufficient for their needs or who were not covered by unemployment insurance.The new scheme was designed to supersede outdoor relief to the unemployed by public assistance authorities. The Board was also empowered to give training to applicants to fit them for entry into, or return to, regular employment. Ministerial responsibility for the Board was vested in the Ministry of Labour.
- The Old Age and Widows' Pension Act 1940 transferred to the Unemployment Assistance Board the administration of supplementary old age pensions in place of the outdoor relief paid by public assistance authorities. The Board was thereby placed in the same constitutional relationship with the Ministry of Health and the Scottish Office as it had formerly been with the Ministry of Labour.The renamed Assistance Board was charged with the administration of supplementary pensions.In 1943 the board took over from the Board of Customs and Excise the administration of non-contributory old age pensions of persons who were also in receipt of supplementary pensions. Later in the same year the board undertook the supplementing of pensions of widows under 60 who had young children. In 1947 administration of remaining non-contributory old age pensions passed to the board from the Board of Customs and Excise.The Polish Resettlement Act of that year made the board responsible for the provision of accommodation in hostels for certain Poles and for the board and lodging of the old, sick or disabled amongst them.During the Second World War the principal additional duty of the Board was the prevention and relief of distress caused by war. It was empowered to grant allowances to persons in need as a direct result of the war who would not otherwise have been eligible for unemployment assistance.The Board also acted as agent for other Government departments in the field of emergency services. The temporary injury allowances payable to civilian casualties under the personal injuries (civilians) schemes of the Ministry of Pensions were administered by the Board.The Board also undertook on behalf of the same ministry and the service departments the work of investigating the circumstances of persons for whom a war service grant or a service dependent's allowance had been claimed. The board was responsible for advance payments of compensation for war damage as agent for the Treasury and War Damage Commission and later under the War Damage Acts.In 1945 ministerial responsibility for the Board was transferred from the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Labour and National Service to the Ministry of National Insurance.
- The Assistance Board was reconstituted under the National Assistance Act 1948, which defined its main function as assistance to persons whose resources were insufficient to meet their needs 'in such a manner as shall best promote the welfare of the persons concerned'. The Act abolished both the old Poor Law and most of the legislation under which the Assistance Board had acted. Distinctions between different groups of persons in need were replaced by a single system of national assistance administered by the National Assistance Board.The work of the public assistance authorities was in effect divided between the board, the National Health Service and local authorities, respectively, in respect of financial assistance, medical treatment and welfare services.The Board was also made responsible for provisions for the temporary shelter and welfare of 'persons without a settled way of living'. The provisions of the National Assistance Act superseded the assistance formerly rendered to Poles outside hostels under the Polish Resettlement Act 1947, but the provisions of the latter act remained the statutory basis, of the board's responsibility for maintaining Polish hostels.The National Assistance Act also made statutory the administration of non-contributory old age pensions by the board. The board was also responsible for the administration of non-contributory pensions payable to blind persons over the age of 40. The Board took over the functions of the Local Pension Committees and appointed former members of such committees to its own Advisory Committees.The Board was also made responsible for the determination of the means of persons seeking legal aid in civil proceedings. The Board had to supply this information to the appropriate local committee of the Law Society.In 1966 the National Assistance Board was abolished and its functions passed to the Ministry of Social Security and a dependant Supplementary Benefits Commission.
- The Supplementary Benefits Commission was set up under the Ministry of Social Security Act 1966 as the body to administer the new system of social security entitlements, in conjunction with the new Ministry of Social Security. Together with this Ministry it inherited the functions of the former Ministry of Pensions and National Insurance and the National Assistance Board.The Commission was responsible for determining the rights of applicants to pensions and allowances and the amounts payable; for providing reception and re-establishment centres for people without a settled way of living and for people covered by the Polish Resettlement Act 1947; for assessing the means of people applying for legal aid; and for advising the government on social security benefits policy. Its powers and responsibilities were consolidated in the Supplementary Benefits Act 1976.The staff of the Ministry of Social Security were made available to the Commission for the performance of its functions. This included casework undertaken at local offices. The Commission and the Ministry shared establishments and finance services.Until 1968 the Commission was responsible to the Ministry for Social Security. When the Ministry of Social Security was incorporated into the new Department of Health and Social Security responsibility for the Commission passed to the Secretary of State for Social Security. In 1980 the Commission was abolished. Control of the administration of the supplementary benefits system was assumed by the Department. Its advisory role passed to the new Social Security Advisory Committee.
- Access points: locations:
- Great Britain
- Subject terms:
- Refugees
- Welfare
- World War II
- Access, restrictions:
- UK public records, open for research unless otherwise stated in The National Archives' catalogue
- Finding aids:
-
More information is available in The National Archives' catalogue.
Research guidance is available on The National Archives' website.
- Yerusha Network member:
- AIM25
- Reference number:
- AST 1
- Title:
- Unemployment Assistance Board and successor: Assistance and Pensions, Representative Case Papers
- Title (official language):
- Unemployment Assistance Board and successor: Assistance and Pensions, Representative Case Papers
- Date(s):
- 1935/1991
- Language:
- English
- Extent:
- 85 boxes
- Scope and content:
- Representative case papers relating to different districts of Great Britain and to different aspects of the work of the Unemployment Assistance Board and its successors, in respect of unemployment assistance, old age pensions and supplementary pensions and benefits together with specimens of the forms in use. The series also includes papers relating to assistance and grants to Polish and Jewish refugees during the Second World War.
- Administrative/biographical history:
- The Unemployment Assistance Board was established under the Unemployment Act 1934 with power to assist able-bodied unemployed persons throughout Great Britain whose insurance benefits were either exhausted or insufficient for their needs or who were not covered by unemployment insurance.The new scheme was designed to supersede outdoor relief to the unemployed by public assistance authorities. The Board was also empowered to give training to applicants to fit them for entry into, or return to, regular employment. Ministerial responsibility for the Board was vested in the Ministry of Labour.
- The Old Age and Widows' Pension Act 1940 transferred to the Unemployment Assistance Board the administration of supplementary old age pensions in place of the outdoor relief paid by public assistance authorities. The Board was thereby placed in the same constitutional relationship with the Ministry of Health and the Scottish Office as it had formerly been with the Ministry of Labour.The renamed Assistance Board was charged with the administration of supplementary pensions.In 1943 the board took over from the Board of Customs and Excise the administration of non-contributory old age pensions of persons who were also in receipt of supplementary pensions. Later in the same year the board undertook the supplementing of pensions of widows under 60 who had young children. In 1947 administration of remaining non-contributory old age pensions passed to the board from the Board of Customs and Excise.The Polish Resettlement Act of that year made the board responsible for the provision of accommodation in hostels for certain Poles and for the board and lodging of the old, sick or disabled amongst them.During the Second World War the principal additional duty of the Board was the prevention and relief of distress caused by war. It was empowered to grant allowances to persons in need as a direct result of the war who would not otherwise have been eligible for unemployment assistance.The Board also acted as agent for other Government departments in the field of emergency services. The temporary injury allowances payable to civilian casualties under the personal injuries (civilians) schemes of the Ministry of Pensions were administered by the Board.The Board also undertook on behalf of the same ministry and the service departments the work of investigating the circumstances of persons for whom a war service grant or a service dependent's allowance had been claimed. The board was responsible for advance payments of compensation for war damage as agent for the Treasury and War Damage Commission and later under the War Damage Acts.In 1945 ministerial responsibility for the Board was transferred from the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Labour and National Service to the Ministry of National Insurance.
- The Assistance Board was reconstituted under the National Assistance Act 1948, which defined its main function as assistance to persons whose resources were insufficient to meet their needs 'in such a manner as shall best promote the welfare of the persons concerned'. The Act abolished both the old Poor Law and most of the legislation under which the Assistance Board had acted. Distinctions between different groups of persons in need were replaced by a single system of national assistance administered by the National Assistance Board.The work of the public assistance authorities was in effect divided between the board, the National Health Service and local authorities, respectively, in respect of financial assistance, medical treatment and welfare services.The Board was also made responsible for provisions for the temporary shelter and welfare of 'persons without a settled way of living'. The provisions of the National Assistance Act superseded the assistance formerly rendered to Poles outside hostels under the Polish Resettlement Act 1947, but the provisions of the latter act remained the statutory basis, of the board's responsibility for maintaining Polish hostels.The National Assistance Act also made statutory the administration of non-contributory old age pensions by the board. The board was also responsible for the administration of non-contributory pensions payable to blind persons over the age of 40. The Board took over the functions of the Local Pension Committees and appointed former members of such committees to its own Advisory Committees.The Board was also made responsible for the determination of the means of persons seeking legal aid in civil proceedings. The Board had to supply this information to the appropriate local committee of the Law Society.In 1966 the National Assistance Board was abolished and its functions passed to the Ministry of Social Security and a dependant Supplementary Benefits Commission.
- The Supplementary Benefits Commission was set up under the Ministry of Social Security Act 1966 as the body to administer the new system of social security entitlements, in conjunction with the new Ministry of Social Security. Together with this Ministry it inherited the functions of the former Ministry of Pensions and National Insurance and the National Assistance Board.The Commission was responsible for determining the rights of applicants to pensions and allowances and the amounts payable; for providing reception and re-establishment centres for people without a settled way of living and for people covered by the Polish Resettlement Act 1947; for assessing the means of people applying for legal aid; and for advising the government on social security benefits policy. Its powers and responsibilities were consolidated in the Supplementary Benefits Act 1976.The staff of the Ministry of Social Security were made available to the Commission for the performance of its functions. This included casework undertaken at local offices. The Commission and the Ministry shared establishments and finance services.Until 1968 the Commission was responsible to the Ministry for Social Security. When the Ministry of Social Security was incorporated into the new Department of Health and Social Security responsibility for the Commission passed to the Secretary of State for Social Security. In 1980 the Commission was abolished. Control of the administration of the supplementary benefits system was assumed by the Department. Its advisory role passed to the new Social Security Advisory Committee.
- Access points: locations:
- Great Britain
- Subject terms:
- Refugees
- Welfare
- World War II
- Access, restrictions:
- UK public records, open for research unless otherwise stated in The National Archives' catalogue
- Finding aids:
-
More information is available in The National Archives' catalogue.
Research guidance is available on The National Archives' website.
- Yerusha Network member:
- AIM25
