WHAT THE ACT DOES.

Press, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14408, 16 July 1912, Page 7

WHAT THE ACT DOES.

ITS MAIN PROVISIONS

PAYMENTS AND BENEFITS

The following are the main provisions of tho invalidity sections of tho National Insurance Act: —The Act will extend to the whole of tlw- United Kingdom. Insurance will bo partly compulsory, partly voluntary. Cumpulsoiy insurance, which will ho cui-etcd by deductions from, wages, will extend to al! person*-, (called "employed contributors") of whatever nationality' under contract of service, whether paid by the hour, day, week, month, or year, to include artisans, mechanics, miner.*-*, clerks, shop-assistant*-!, ser\uuts, sailors in tho mercantile marine, unpensionabJo employees of local authorities or railway * companies, outworkers (cx<"-opt those specially excluded by an Order of the Commissioners), golf caddies, etc. Among thoso to whom tho cwnipnlaory section will not extend are—Soldiers - and sailors, who are dealt with specially; persons receiving more than £160 a year from their employers by way of salary. Voluntary insurance under tho scheme will be permitted to all persons (called ''voluntary contributors"), who (1) arc engaged in some regular occupation, and aro wholly or mainly r dependent for their livelihood upon their earnings Herefrom; or (2) have been insured persons for fiv<j years -*r - upwards; but persons with an incomo _ exceeding £100 a year may not bocome voluntary contributors. RATES OF CONTRIBUTION*. The rates for employed eontributoift will bo nnitorrn:—For men, 4d a woek.' deductible from wages; for women, 3da wcok, deductible from wages*, for tho employer, 3d a week for. both sexes. The Stato contribution will be tho payment of two-ninths of the benefit** in tho. caso of men, and one-fourth in the caso of women. Theso contributions will bo subject to a variation in tho apportionment as between employer and employee in tho case of -persons over the ago of 21, whero the person employed does not -receive "board and lodging," as.under: — ' Jf the wages do not exceed Is Cd a day, thc employer is to pay 6d for una, 6d for women; tho State to pay Id, and.* tho employee nothing. If tho wages - do not exceed 2s a day, tho employer is* to pay 5d for men, 4d for women; tho employee to pay Id, tho Stato.ld. If tho wages do not exceed 2a 6d a day. the employer is to pay 4d for men, for women*; employe© Bd. If tlio wages exceed 2s 6d a day, the employer'is to pay 3d; tho man, 4d; tho woman 3d. BENEFITS. The schemo provides certain minimum, _ benefits; nnd societies which' manago .', their business prudently will also .bo -. 1 able to grant some ono or moro of cer- ' tain additional benefits. The benefitsarc :—A Medical Benefit. —Treatment , and attendance throughout life for the . • , insured person, and provision of modi-; cines and medical and surgical op*7"' plianccs. (b) Sanatorium * Benefit.--* * Treatment in sanatoria or otherwise;" such treatment may also bo extended to ' an insured person's family, (o) Siok- y ness Benefit. —Noinally, 10s a week (7s,Cd for women) for 26 weeks from tho'- * fourth day of sickness, (d) Disable-. , ■ ment. —Normally, 6s a week- from tho : - termination of sick benefit, so long as .". the disablement lasts, (c) Maternity Benefit.—SOs in caso of confinement of. the tvifo of an insured person or of ft ' woman who is herself an insured per.,. - son", (f) Additional Benelits.--Cer-ttuiu- "' specified benefits which may be granted ':■■.. as tho funds-of tho society allow. Bene- "_ tits (c) and (d) cease at the ago of -TO.'*" Thc rates of benefit are. reduced in ' tho following caacs:—•(,&)■ Under ago of" '•; 21 nnd unmarried :•*— Sickness Benefit.—Males, Gs a "vrrdek for first 13 weeks, 5s a -week for «c- - cond 13 weeks. Females, 5s a week for / first 13 weeks, 4s. a week* for second 13 weeks.

Disablement Benefit. —Females, 4a. a week.

Th© working of the Health Insurant©, - Schemo will be carried out' mainly *•' through approved societies, whose primary functions will bo to issuo' and ro-y.. oelvo the contribution cards of their - members insured under the Act and to . administer certain of th© benefits on their behalf. It will bo open to any sooiety which satisfies the conditions to. boootucan approved society, and it willnot be asked to apply any of its existing funds for-the purposes of tho new scheme, even though they, hay© been . contributed in .respect of benefits" now" '. included in thnt scheme. All. the Friendly Societies and Trad© Unions* will be able to comply with tho conditions.