National Insurance Act 1946

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The National Insurance Act 1946 was a landmark British welfare reform law that created a comprehensive, compulsory social security system providing benefits for sickness, unemployment, retirement, and other contingencies for most of the population.

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Statements (49)

Predicate Object
instanceOf Act of Parliament of the United Kingdom
social security legislation
administeredBy Ministry of National Insurance
aimedAt implementing social insurance principles
providing income security
reducing poverty
associatedWith Labour Party (UK)
basedOn Beveridge Report
cameIntoForce 5 July 1948
country United Kingdom
coverage employees
most of the working population of the United Kingdom
self-employed persons (with limitations)
created comprehensive national insurance system
compulsory social security scheme
describedAs landmark British welfare reform law
established flat-rate benefits
flat-rate contributions
financedBy Exchequer contributions
contributions from employees
contributions from employers
government Attlee government
surface form: Attlee ministry
historicalPeriod post-World War II Britain
implementedConcept social insurance for all citizens
inspiredBy William Beveridge
introducedBy Attlee government
surface form: Clement Attlee government
jurisdiction United Kingdom
legalStatus largely superseded by later social security legislation
subsequently amended
legislativeBody British Parliament
surface form: Parliament of the United Kingdom
longTitle An Act to provide for insurance against loss of earnings through sickness, unemployment and other interruptions of employment, and for the payment of retirement pensions, widows’ benefits, and other benefits.
partOf creation of the British welfare state
post-war welfare state reforms in the United Kingdom
providedFor death benefits
maternity benefits
retirement pensions
sickness benefits
unemployment benefits
widows’ benefits
relatedTo National Assistance Act 1948
National Health Service Act 1946
replaced National Insurance Act 1911 system (in large part)
earlier fragmented insurance schemes
royalAssent 1 August 1946
scope universalist national insurance coverage for residents of working age
subjectMatter cash benefits for contingencies
national insurance contributions
social security
yearOfAct 1946

Referenced by (5)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

National Assistance Act 1948 administeredAlongside National Insurance Act 1946
Attlee government implementedPolicy National Insurance Act 1946
Beveridge Report influenced National Insurance Act 1946
National Assistance Act 1948 relatedTo National Insurance Act 1946
National Insurance Act 1920 relatedTo National Insurance Act 1946