In the early 1900s in Britain, poverty was widespread with overcrowded homes and high rents. Employment options were limited to low-skilled, low-paying jobs that offered little security. Children especially struggled, facing hunger, illness, and high infant mortality rates. The last resort for those with nowhere else to go was the harsh workhouse, where families were separated and conditions were poor. Beginning in 1906, the Liberal government introduced reforms to help address poverty through programs like free school meals, pensions, and unemployment benefits.

2. Poverty in Britain
In the early 1900s, poverty was a
widespread problem in Britain.
Many homes were overcrowded,
and still involved paying high
rents. This overcrowding help
spread disease.
Single ends were one-roomed
houses in Scottish cities. They
usually had no indoor toilet.

3. Employment problems
Many working people earned from
low wages. They worked in low
skilled jobs which paid very little.
As these jobs were low skilled it
was easy to replace workers,
forcing people to go when sick.
Seasonal jobs made life hard as
some workers did not have money
for much of the year.

4. Children’s lives
Children especially faced difficult
lives.
In the early 1900s, the Infant
Mortality Rate was around one-in-
five (meaning 20% of children died
by their first birthday).
Children also suffered hunger and
illness due their family’s poverty.

5. Government help
Before 1906, there was little
government help for people living
in poverty.
British governments tended to
have a ‘laissez faire’ attitude to
the problems of poverty.
This meant they did not believe it
was their job to intervene.

6. The Workhouse
People with nowhere else to go
dreaded having to go and live in
the Workhouse (often called the
Poor House in Scotland).
Going to the Poor House was a
last resort for people.
It was a huge embarrassment to
have to rely on this help, and they
faced many problems if they did.
Govan poor house,
Glasgow

7. The Workhouse
Workhouse food quality was poor,
and often the same each day.
Families were also not allowed to
live together. Men were separated
from women and children.
The working day was often ten
hours, six days per week.
Discipline was harsh too,
including violence.

8. Liberal Reforms
From 1906, the Liberal Party
ran the British government.
They introduced a range of
reforms designed to tackle
poverty.
These included free school
meals, pensions, unemployment
benefit and sick pay.