Report of the Royal Commission on National Health Insurance

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Monograph

Identifikator:: 1740277147

URN:: urn:nbn:de:zbw-retromon-132094

Document type:: Monograph

Title:: Report of the Royal Commission on National Health Insurance

Place of publication:: London

Publisher:: Stationery Office

Year of publication:: 1926

Scope:: XII, 394 S.

Digitisation:: 2020

Collection:: Economics Books

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Document type:: Monograph

Structure type:: Chapter

Title:: Chapter XI. Proposal for dependants' allowances

Collection:: Economics Books

MAJORITY REPORT. 1 = 7 favourable to the present rates of payment for sickness and dis- ablement benefits being increased. Voluntary Societies make ample provision for any person who requires a larger amount of benefit than is provided under National Health Insurance.” (App. VIII, 5.) ‘° We are of opinion that the present standard rates should be the maximum on the ground that the real purpose of the Act is preventive and curative, and not so much for the purpose of providing monetary benefit at the time of sickness, and that there are agencies in existence, and were in existence before the inception of the National Insurance Act, which were then, and are to-day, quite capable of providing monetary assist- ance if such is needed.” (Q. 6107, 6128-6145, 6159-6162.) Other witnesses representing the Friendly Societies gave evidence to a similar effect (e.g., Loyal Order of Amcient Shepherds, App. XL1IV, 18-19; Q. 14,086-14,099, and the National Con- ference of Friendly Societies, Q. 10,649-10,660). 302. On the other hand, certain witnesses refer to the in- adequacy of the present rates of benefit for the purpose of meeting the requirements of a sick person and his family. For instance, the T.ancashire and Cheshire Miners’ Federation Approved Society point out that ‘‘ when a man is sick he requires more money, not less, for the purpose of obtaining nourishment *’ (Q. 7381) and express the view that ‘if a man receives what he does for compensation because of injury received while following his employment he ought, if he is laid aside through sickness, to be paid a similar amount.” (Q. 7382.) 303. The impression left on us by evidence of this type is that the present rates are not considered really adequate for maintenance in time of sickness, even by their defenders, but that they provide an assured minimum to which, as a basis, other provision, e.g. additional benefits, voluntary insurance, savings, &c., may be added, and that there are advantages, moral and otherwise, in such a mixed system. RELATION OF BENEFITS TO COST OF LAVING. 304. It is interesting to note that when in 1920 the rates of the 1911 Act were raised by 50 per cent. to meet the increased cost of living, that cost had in fact risen at that time by about 175 per cent. No doubt the general prosperity and high wage- rates of that time made this disparity of the two increases of no great importance. Now, however, with reduced wages, much unemployment, and little opportunity for saving, the question of disparity is of considerable moment. The disparity is in fact, and fortunately, nothing like what it was. But it still remains. The cost of living is 75 per cent. higher than in 1914, the rates of benefit only 50 per cent. Even when every allowance is made for additional benefits, the comparison between the present posi- tion of the statutory cash benefits and that of 1914 cannot be regarded as entirely satisfactory

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