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Description: | The Local Pensions Committee originally comprised of 32 members, divided into five Sub-Committees of 9 members, with each to assist in administering the Old Age Pensions Act within separate districts or Inland Revenue Stations, which were in the charge of a Pensions Officer:- District 1: Centred on The Bridge and Caldmore Wards (3,730 houses) District 2: Centred on the Paddock, Hatherton and Bridge Wards (3,083 houses) District 3: Centred on Leamore, Birchills and Hatherton Wards (2,713 houses) District 4: Centred on Birchills, Pleck and The Bridge Wards (3,585 houses) District 5: Centred on Bloxwich and Leamore Wards (2,719 houses) In Nov 1909, the Committee appointed a new Sub-Committee - called the Local Pensions Sub-Committee, to hear all the claims from the five districts. The minutes for the Sub-Committee are included in the volumes for the main Committee, until Nov 1911, when the Sub-Committee was not reappointed and its functions became a part of the main Committee. There was a right of appeal for an individual to the Local Government Board itself. In December 1914, a new Cub-Committee was appointed to investigate separation allowances for dependants of service men other than wives and children during WWI. Such dependants included parents, extended family and fiances. Again, the Sub-Committee listened to and adjudicated on cases brought before them. This of course had nothing to do with old age pensions and this was recognised, but the task was handed to the Committee as it had the machinery and experience to carry out the necessary investigations. In December 1916, this Sub-Committee was amalgamated with the Old Age Pension Allowances Sub-Committee to become the Old Age Pension Sub-Committee. In October 1916, an Old Age Pension Additional Allowances Sub-Committee was appointed to investigate the award of additional allowances to pensioners suffering special hardship owing to the war. The Sub-Committee was then retained to interview claimants and adjudicate. In December 1916, this Sub-Committee was amalgamated with the Navy & Army Separation Allowances Sub-Committee to become the Old Age Pension Sub-Committee. The Committee maintained a register of all cases from 1914 to 1920, From November 1916 the main Committee became known as the Local (Old Age) Pension Committee or more frequently, the Old Age Pensions Committee, though there was no change in function (always referred to as Old Age Pensions Committee by 1927). In April 1919 the Old Age Pensions Sub-Committee ceased. The Committee continued undertaking the same tasks as it had always done, along with implementing changes to national policy, until its duties were transferred to the Assistance Boards in Jul 1948. The minutes contain large lists of the names, addresses and pension payments to residents of the Borough, as well as claims that have been withdrawn or disallowed; for reasons such as accepting 'Poor Relief' and trying to claim a pension on top. Discussion on changes to pension legislation also figure heavily. | License: | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/uk/ | Publisher: | Walsall Archives / Local History Centre | Rights holder: | Walsall Council | Temporal: | 1908-1948 | Source: | Black Country History | Creator: | Walsall Council | Identifier: | http://www.blackcountryhistory.org/colle... | Go to resource |
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