Old Age Pensions Act

The Old Age Pensions Act of 1908 in the United Kingdom introduced a non-contributory, means-tested pension for individuals over 70 years old, paid through the post office. This legislation was part of a broader series of social welfare reforms enacted between 1906 and World War I, often referred to as "new liberalism". These reforms were driven by concerns over poverty, ill health, and economic decline, and reflected a changing view of the state's role in society. The goal was to enhance the social, moral, and material lives of citizens through deliberate policies, moving beyond older conceptions of the state as merely regulative.1