SOCIAL INSURANCE

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVI, Issue 23014, 4 October 1944, Page 7

SOCIAL INSURANCE

Provisions Of British Scheme LONDON, September 27. The social rates proposed on the British White Paper are:— Injury allowances for incapacity for the first 13 weeks, single man or woman without dependants, 35/-, with . d dependant. 43/9. Married nv :. *'■ n married man and first child, 48 9. After 13 weeks, the injury allowance and pension rate for 100 per cent, cii,.ablement is for the four classes, 40/-, 50/-. 50/- and 57/6 respectively. The pension, if disabled and unemployable, is to be 50/-, 60/-, 60/-, and 67/6 respectively. The allowance after 13 weeks, and the pension for permanent disablement, may be increased by an allowance to 20/- a week where increased attendance on a workman is necessary owing to the injury. In fatal cases the pension for a widow of 50 or oVer, with dependent children, or incapable of self-support, is 30/-. others 20/-. first child, 7/6; orphan child. 12/-. One parent, 20/maximum; two parents. 30/- maximum. Other dependent members of a family. 20/- maximum. The cost to the Government industrial scheme pensions will be substantially higher than in the Beveridge report. Assuming that the total cost of the benefits under the government proposals to be £20,000.000, with a further 3/- administration, the Government is advised that, the weekly contribution for men will be 6d and for women 4d. If the contribution is divided equally as proposed between employers and workers, these sums will be 3d and 3d, with half rates for boys and girls under 18. These contributions will provide tye-sixths of the income of the fund, the other sixth being contributed by the exchequer The scheme will cover, broadly speaking, all persons working under contracts of service or apprenticeship Liability, instead of being on the individual employer, will be upon the central fund, out of which all benefits both in disablement and fatal cases and administrative charges, will be paid. The scheme will be under the general charge of the Minister of Social Insurance.