The National Assistance Board suffers from administrative schizophrenia. The duties the Board are expected to fulfil: are not compatible with one another. As seen by Beveridge and the subsequent social security legislation, it was expected that the Board would be an instrument used less and less as time went on, This was because it was thought that the level of benefits, both for sickness and unemployment, as well as pensions, would keep pace with the rising cost of living. As these benefits regularly increased so the number of recipients of Assistance would reduce down to a small hard core of people needing help. The Board would be able to deal with emergency demands and would be able to meet the need of those seeking help. The general level of social benefits would ensure people a reasonable standard of living while the N.A.B. would cover the need of a few people not eligible for any other form of assistance, This proved to be far from the truth, Everyone is aware of the galloping increase in the cost of living and the corresponding small and infrequent increases in benefit. The numbers of people receiving assistance has risen year after year and it is estimated by sociologists that there are many more, mainly old age pensioners, who would receive help if they applied. The scales used by the Board to determine how much money an applicant should receive is the amount the Government feels should enable a person to exist. This is called 'subsistence level', Very complicated means are used to determine how this figure should be reached for it should deal only with the necessities of life and not the luxuries - which, after all, is what most people live fore But, and it is a big but, the Board operates what is known as a wage stope This device is to ensure that a man and his family do not receive more money through assistance than they would if the mam earned, If a man's wages were £12 per week, his assistance would be less than this. The actual amount, £11.10. or £11, is entirely up to the discretionary powers of the Board and these may be decided in a very arbitrary manner, If pressure from a social worker increases his money from, say,€1l to £11, 10s on the basis. of the need existing in that family back payments would not be paid although need existed prior to the increase. Further hardship is not difficult to find. Suppose this same man earning £12 has a high rent and a large family, His scale as laid dom by the Board may be as high as £16 or so yet he will still only get his £11 or £11, 10s. The need of the family is great, after all, they are living at several pounds a week less than the amount laid down by the Government as "subsistence," The very instrument authorised to relieve need is the body imposing the need - hence the schizophrenia, What does this mean in every day terms to the family suffering from such a wage stop? A family I know with nine children, only one of working age, receives £13, 15, % per week (including their family allowance) which is a wege stop of nearly wks This is how they distribute their money:
Rent £4. 6. iid.
Fuel ts Se Ons
Gas and Electiricity 1. 5. Od.
Clothing clubs 12. 64.
Milk 6. 646
Bagwash 9. Od. The baknee of £5. 10. ld is left. Have you tried feeding a family of eleven
cortinued over/
Wage stop continued/
on £5. 10. 1d? Of course not, and would think it preposterous to be asked
to try. Yet this family have to manage. They are not well educated or very
intelligent so clever economical methods are beyond them. "What about going
to the pictures?" - not a chance, Make-up for the older girls - cvi of the
question, pocket money = don't make me laugh! There is not enough for food
and clothing let alone these luxuries that everyone else calls essentials,
Unless you have seen people living like this it is difficult to realise what
it means to them. Not only is it hard financially but other pressures are
exerted too. The children are demanding coppers for things to make at school,
for pens and crayons, a new camtigan, etc, They want to be like the other
children who have nice clothes, pocket money, etc.e, and not to be faced with
the choice of telling lies or pleading povertye It is hard for the parents
to have to deny these things to their children,
Sometimes they take what looks like an easy way outs talley men. A new set
of clothes for John and only 5/- a week. But before the instalments of 5/-
are complete, the clothes are worn out or John has grow, and by now Jill
and Mary need new clothes too. The circle gets more tightly drawn and the
parents get trapped by lack of money. Other people may help, but it is
humiliating always to be receiving help and never giving it. A most demoral-
ising process, Furniture is second-hand, lino gets worn, paint-work peels
and all around is evidence of deterioration and general shabbinesse
What sort of adulte}these children grow up to be? Hardly citizens full of
self-respect, aware of their responsibilities and conviction that "they" care
for all. This country spends much money on approved schools, borstals, cette,
If more money was spent now on the type of family I have described then in
ten years time their children may not occupy these institutions. This is
partly a solution. What is yours?