Financial support for soldiers families

[Peter Burnham]

An old family story of my grandfather's " chain of shops ?? " ruined by robbing employees and failing while he was away as a soldier during WW1 prompted me to think of the families left behind in the UK .

How were they supported financially ? Does anyone know ?

Did a woman with young children receive an allowance from the government or was she expected to find employment ? I can not imagine army pay would help to support them even if a soldier managed to send any payments home !

Just curious .....

[Geoffers]

[An old family story of my grandfather's " chain of shops ?? " ruined by robbing employees and failing while he was away as a soldier during WW1 prompted me to think of the families left behind in the UK .
How were they supported financially ? Does anyone know?]

The standard form of relief was still provided by the Poor Law Unions and the workhouse. There may have been some sort of regimental fund to provide charitable relief.

The only mention of additional support that I can find is by searching TNA online catalogue (formerly PROCAT) this returns one hit for WW1

CUST 49/329 - Army allowances to soldiers' wives; investigation by pensions officers

CUST 49/335 - Navy and army separation allowances to dependants

ED 10/141 - Circular 896 (Army separation allowances in respect of children at school); correspondence with War Office and Ministry of Pensions. Effect upon marriage allowance of raising school leaving age from 14 to 15.

Geoffers
Charlbury, Oxfordshire

[Guy Etchells]

Even by the Second World War the soldiers pay was supposed to cover their family's needs.
Some would brag to their mates they were saving all their pay to send home to their wives but it would never get their and so the wife would have to manage for herself.

The reformes of 1906 and 1911 meant that there was a basic form of social security in place which continued to develop.
Cheers
Guy