It should be noted also that authorities were not compelled to implement these acts and so only a limited number did so.
1908 saw the implementation of the Old Age Pension Act whereby pensions, though certainly not generous and not intended to replace savings, were payable at the age of 70. Charged entirely against the state's budget and without the contributory features of many such schemes in other countries, this concession in principle was a major departure in social policy and is indicative of the massively progressive ideology of the time. It also however retains the notions of "deserving and undeserving" which, coupled with the implementation of character tests, is a superb example of a mix of old attitudes and new together in the same act.
The Royal Commission on the poor law (set up by Balfour in 1905) reported in 1909 that the old structure of 1834 had outlived its usefulness and recommended that the functions of the poor law authorities be transferred to organs of local government. Such reform however was prevented until 1929.
In 1911, as a result of continuing concern for national efficiency and a genuine "New Liberal" desire for the reduction of poverty, the National Insurance Act (modelled on the German scheme) was introduced. Part 1 of the act provided a system of unemployment compensation (albeit limited to certain industries) whilst part 2 set up a system of national insurance to provide medical care, maternity benefits and sick pay. This act was a contributory scheme and, despite receiving much criticism from trade unionists for making deductions from already low wages; the government carried the bill easily.
By the late 1920's the unsatisfactory nature of the poor law was widely recognised and a reform was seen as a necessity, this occurred in 1930 with the Poor Law Act which dismantled the administrative structure of the old system and swept away the powers vested in the local authorities.