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Of the 540 families who received grants 304 were in receipt of
unemployment benefit; 189 were in receipt of poor law relief; 119
were in receipt of both unemployment benefit and poor law relief
whilst receiving grants from the Council. 400 of the applicants
were Ex-Service men. 59 of the fathers were stated to be "chronicout-of-works."
In 81 cases "large families" were reported, that
is families with six or more children. 119 of the applicants were
regularly employed, and 313 irregularly employed. 16 applicants
were in the employ (casual) of the Finsbury Borough Council.
Grants were made in respect of 16 illegitimate children. In 21 cases
the man and wife were living apart. 5 widows applied for, and
received, grants.
Of the total 540 families dealt with, 227 lived in one-roomed
tenements, 237 in two roomed tenements, and 76 in three-roomed
tenements. The rents for unfurnished rooms were as follows :—
For one room from 2/6 to 7s. weekly. For two rooms from 3s. to
10s. 6d. weekly. For three rooms from 7s. 4d. to 12s. 3d. weekly.
The rents for furnished rooms were :—For one room from 12s.
to 14s. weekly. For two rooms from 14s. to 16s. weekly. For three
rooms from 14s. to £1 weekly.
The following cases illustrate the difficulties which poor parents
in receipt of grants have to contend with, and the fact that though
they can barely support their children when they first apply, yet
additional children continue to be born and make the circumstances
of the families harder and almost intolerable.
1. The first application for a grant was made in January, 1922.
The family consisted of the parents and four children—12, 9, 7, 1,
years. They rented 3 rooms at 9s. 10d. a week. The father was
out of work and drew sick pay. In January, 1923, the father was
out of work and made a second application. There was now another
child. Five grants were made in 1923. In January, 1924, the
father was out of work and made a third application. Four grants
were made. In January, 1925, the father who had been employed
for a short time as a motor finisher made another application. He
was now out of work. His wife was expecting another child.
Grants were made continuously through 1925. The father died in