National Assistance Act 1948

E36321

The National Assistance Act 1948 was a key piece of postwar British welfare legislation that abolished the Poor Law and established a modern safety net of means-tested support for people not covered by national insurance.

Aliases (1)

Statements (48)
Predicate Object
instanceOf Act of Parliament of the United Kingdom
social security legislation
administeredAlongside National Insurance Act 1946
administeredBy National Assistance Board
cameIntoForce 5 July 1948
citation 11 & 12 Geo. 6. c. 29
country United Kingdom
created National Assistance Board
effect ended the legal framework of the Poor Law
integrated residual assistance into the modern welfare state
reduced the stigma associated with poor relief
historicalContext post-World War II reconstruction in the United Kingdom
implementedBy National Assistance Board officers
local authorities
influencedBy Beveridge Report
introducedIn British Parliament
surface form: "Parliament of the United Kingdom"
jurisdiction England and Wales
Scotland
language English
legalStatus repealed
longTitle An Act to terminate the existing Poor Law and to provide for the assistance of persons in need and for other purposes connected therewith
partOf post-war welfare state reforms in the United Kingdom
policyArea poverty relief
social security
social welfare
providedFor cash assistance to people with insufficient resources
discretionary payments based on individual need
purpose to abolish the Poor Law
to provide a safety net for people not covered by National Insurance
to provide means-tested financial assistance to persons in need
relatedTo National Health Service Act 1946
National Insurance Act 1946
repealed Poor Law system in England and Wales
Poor Law system in Scotland
replacedBy Pension Credit
surface form: "Supplementary Benefit scheme"
royalAssent 13 May 1948
sectionProvidedFor power of local authorities to provide accommodation
residential accommodation for persons in need
welfare services for disabled and elderly people
shortTitle National Assistance Act 1948
supersededBy Ministry of Social Security Act 1966
Social Security Act 1966
targetedAt disabled people in need
elderly people in need
people not entitled to sufficient National Insurance benefits
unemployed people in need
timePeriod 20th century
transferredResponsibilityTo National Assistance Board

Referenced by (4)

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

Attlee government implementedPolicy National Assistance Act 1948
Old Age Pensions Act 1908 precededBy National Assistance Act 1948
this entity surface form: "Poor Law system"
National Insurance Act 1946 relatedTo National Assistance Act 1948
National Assistance Act 1948 shortTitle National Assistance Act 1948

Please wait…