Sir William Beveridge outlined five "Giants" that must be tackled in order for Britain to move forward. The Giants were identified as; want, idleness, disease, ignorance and squalor. Not all of these Giants were a direct result of the wars Britain had been involved in, but the consequences of war did emphasize the need for state intervention, especially in the areas of housing (squalor), poverty (want) and health (disease).
The Boer War of 1899-1902 was instrumental in highlighting the level of poor health the nation was suffering. The war proved to be alarming evidence that the British army was inadequate to fight a lowly opposition. It was found that a large number of volunteers were physically unfit to fight and suffered many health deficiencies (Fraser 2009, p162). With the impending threat of a war with Germany and a decline in the economy, concerns grew for national efficiency. .
In 1904 the Interdepartmental Committee on Physical Deterioration found that at the age of thirteen, boys from poorer homes were on average 11 pounds lighter and 3 inches shorter than children from better homes. It was also noted that Britain had a higher infant mortality rate compared to Germany. As a result of this investigation the Liberals introduced The Education (Provision of School) Meals Act (1906) which allowed, but did not require, local authorities to provide free meals for needy children. .
A year later the government introduced The Medical Inspection of Children Act (1907) in the hope of preventative measures in ailments rather than the cost of curing them. These acts were a step in the right direction and demonstrated that the "state was little by little acknowledging responsibility for the sick, the unemployed and the hungry." (Fraser 2009, p162). .
The National Insurance Act (1911) was introduced by the Liberal government, and came in two parts. The Act covered unemployment and sickness and was revolutionary when introduced.