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Retirement and pensions

In 1959 pensioners join Welsh miners at a demonstration in Eaton Square.

In 1959 pensioners join Welsh miners at a demonstration in Eaton Square.
©TopFoto

In 1908 and 1925, Pension Acts introduced non-contributory and contributory pensions although they were substantially below subsistence levels. The Beveridge Report of 1942 recommended subsistence level state pensions for all workers on reaching the age of retirement.

Related documents

The National Insurance Fund

Cabinet Memorandum. Social Insurance and Allied Services. Summary of Report by Sir William Beveridge. 25 November 1942 (PDF, 3.449MB)

Cabinet Memorandum. Social Insurance. Memorandum by the Minister of Reconstruction. 30 June 1944 (PDF, 18.242MB)

Cabinet Memorandum. Social Insurance. Memorandum by the Minister of Reconstruction. 7 September 1944 (PDF, 14.155MB)

Cabinet Conclusion 5. Old Age Pensions. 16 October 1945 (PDF, 1.233MB)

Cabinet Conclusion 3. National Insurance: Increase in Contributions. 18 May 1950 (PDF, 1.872MB)

Cabinet Memorandum. Increase in Rates of National Insurance Contributions. 10 May 1950 (PDF, 0.509MB)

Cabinet Conclusion 1. National Insurance Bill. 7 May 1951 (PDF, 1.532MB)

Conservative financial review

Cabinet Memorandum. Review of Pensions. National Insurance Benefits and Pensions. Memorandum by the Minister of National Insurance. 4 March 1952 (PDF, 0.216MB)

Cabinet Memorandum. Supplementary Pensions Scheme. Memorandum by the Minister of Labour and National Service. 10 June 1952 (PDF, 0.209MB)

Cabinet Conclusion 8. Provision for Old Age. 5 May 1953 (PDF, 1.597MB)

Cabinet Memorandum. Finances of the National Insurance Scheme. Memorandum by the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Minister of National Insurance. 12 February 1953 (PDF, 3.271MB)

Cabinet Memorandum. Provision for Old Age. Memorandum by the Chancellor of the Exchequer. 1 May 1953 (PDF, 0.140MB)

Cabinet Memorandum. Pensions Memorandum by the Chancellor of the Exchequer. 9 April 1954 (PDF, 0.470MB)

Cabinet Conclusion 8. Pensions for Old Age and War Disability. 1 November 1954 (PDF, 1.665MB)

Cabinet Conclusion 2. Pensions for Old Age and War Disability. 11 November 1954 (PDF, 0.962MB)

Cabinet Conclusion 4. Pensions for Old Age and War Disability. 24 November 1954 (PDF, 1.475MB)

Cabinet Conclusion 8. Pensions for Old Age and War Disability. 6 December 1954 (PDF, 1.449MB)

Cabinet Memorandum. Time-table for Review of War Pensions and National Insurance Pensions and Benefits. Memorandum by the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance. 8 November 1954 (PDF, 0.827MB)

Cabinet Memorandum. Review of War Pensions and National Insurance Pensions and Benefits. Memorandum by the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance. 20 November 1954 (PDF, 1.543MB)

Cabinet Conclusion 3. Old-Age Pensions. 14 May 1957 (PDF, 1.447MB)

Cabinet Memorandum. Old-Age Pensions. Memorandum by the Secretary of State for the Home Department and Lord Privy Seal. 16 July 1957 (PDF, 1.402MB)

Cabinet Memorandum. National Insurance Benefits. Memorandum by the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance 26 July 1957 (PDF, 0.739MB)

Cabinet Memorandum. National Insurance Changes. Memorandum by the Chancellor of the Exchequer. 27 July 1957 (PDF, 0.456MB)

Cabinet Memorandum. Supplementary Pension Schemes. Memorandum by the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance. 16 September 1957 (PDF, 3.095MB)

Cabinet Memorandum. Pensions. Note by the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance. 1 April 1958 (PDF, 2.035MB)

Cabinet Memorandum. Pensions. Memorandum by the Secretary of State for the Home Department and Lord Privy Seal. 16 June 1958 (PDF, 1.166MB)

Cabinet Memorandum. Pensions Note by the Secretary of State for the Home Department and Lord Privy Seal. 17 June 1958 (PDF, 10.811MB)

Cabinet Memorandum. Pensions Memorandum by the Chancellor of the Exchequer. 2 July 1958 (PDF, 0.847MB)

Cabinet Conclusion 5. Pensions and National Insurance. 18 October 1960 (PDF, 1.360MB)

Cabinet Memorandum. Pensions and National Assistance. Memorandum by the Lord Chancellor. 7 October 1960 (PDF, 0.178MB)

Cabinet Memorandum. National Insurance Benefits. Memorandum by the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance. 8 November 1962 (PDF, 2.009MB)

Cabinet Conclusion 5. Pensions and National Insurance. 13 November 1962 (PDF, 1.191MB)

Cabinet Memorandum. National Insurance and other Benefits. Memorandum by the Chancellor of the Exchequer. 31 December 1962 (PDF, 1.286MB)

Cabinet Conclusion 2. Pensions and National Insurance. 3 January 1963 (PDF, 0.780MB)

Cabinet Conclusion 4. Pensions and National Insurance. 10 January 1963 (PDF, 1.185MB)

Labour and social policy

Cabinet Memorandum. Proposals for Expenditure: An Increase in Social Security Benefits. Memorandum by the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance. 28 October 1964 (PDF, 1.077MB)

Cabinet Memorandum. Possibility of Advancing Date of payment of National Insurance Pensions. Memorandum by the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance. 23 November 1964 (PDF, 1.564MB)

Cabinet Memorandum. Timing of Increased National Insurance and Assistance Benefits. Memorandum by the Chancellor of the Exchequer. 23 November 1964 (PDF, 0.346MB)

Cabinet Memorandum. National Superannuation and Social Insurance: Draft White Paper. Note by the Secretary of State for Social Services. 13 December 1968 (PDF, 9.473MB)

Cabinet Memorandum. Uprating of Social Security Benefits. Memorandum by the Secretary of State for Social Services. 13 May 1969 (PDF, 1.559MB)

Cabinet Memorandum. Increases in National Insurance Contributions. Note by the Secretary of Sate for Social Services. 19 May 1969 (PDF, 0.879MB)

Conservative pension shift and defeat

Cabinet Memorandum. Main Proposals for Changes in the National Insurance Scheme and Preservation of Occupational Pension Rights. Memorandum by the Secretary of State for Social Services. 29 January 1971 (PDF, 2.453MB)

Cabinet Memorandum. Social Security Review 1971. Memorandum by the Secretary of State for Social Services. 1 March 1971 (PDF, 0.875MB)

Cabinet Memorandum. Proposed Changes in the National Insurance Scheme: Draft White Paper. 28 June 1971 (PDF, 6.547MB)

Cabinet Memorandum. The 1973 Review of Social Security Benefits and Associated Changes: Draft White Paper. Note by the Secretary of State for Social Services. 4 April 1973 (PDF, 2.540MB)

State Earnings Related Pension Scheme

Cabinet Conclusion 3. Earnings Rule. 4 December 1975 (PDF, 2.930MB)

Cabinet Memorandum. Retirement Pensions Earnings Rule. Memorandum by the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Secretary of State for Social Services. 2 December 1975 (PDF, 0.552MB)

Search using National Insurance Act Social Security Pensions Act

Further reading

Land, A., Lowe, R. & Whiteside, N., The Development of the Welfare State 1939-1951 A Guide to Documents in the Public Record Office (London: HMSO, 1992)
Bridgen, P. & Lowe, R., Welfare Policy under the Conservatives 1951-1964 A Guide to Documents in the Public Record Office (London: PRO Publications, 1998)
Glennerster, H., British Social Policy 1945 to the Present (Oxford: Blackwell, 2007)
Timmins, N., The Five Giants A Biography of the Welfare State (London: Harper Collins Publisher, 2001)

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