01 January 1909

Old age pensions are introduced

Pensions are paid at a maximum of five shillings a week for single people and seven and six for married couples payable to people over 70, earning less than £21.10s a year, not in receipt of poor relief and of good character. Once approved pensions are paid every Friday at the local post office. 490,000 people qualified for pensions but by 1911 this had risen to over one million.