20.2 Continuing austerity

Question 1

What evidence of continuing austerity was there after the war?

Answer 1

• Bread and Potatoes were rationed 1947-48, this hadn’t been the case during the war
• Meats, cheese, fats, tea, sugar and sweets were still rationed by 1951

Question 2

Which minister had been responsible for housing and how successful had they been by 1951?

Answer 2

• Bevan was the minister of Health
• There was an estimated 700,000 house shortage by 1951

BUT he had created 807,000 high quality homes

Question 3

What was the quality of private rented accommodation like, and why?

++ what % of accommodation rented privately?

Answer 3

50% of houses were rented from private landlords who were not incentivised to do repairs as they could not increase the rent prices

Question 4

What impact did Rowntree’s 1951 study of York claim for the post-war welfare reforms?

Answer 4

1951 Rowntree survey suggested that primary poverty would have been x8 as high without the post-war welfare reforms

Question 5

What happened to the living standards for the poorest working class, taxation on the middle class and employment by 1951?

Answer 5

• Rise in living standards for the poorest
• High taxation on the middle and upper classes
• Employment was virtually at 100% thanks to labour government

Question 6

What was the state of housing in Glasgow?

Answer 6

About half the city population needed to be rehoused