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More than 5000 entries on the history, culture and life of Britain (published in 1993 by Macmillan, now out of print)
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national insurance
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State scheme providing old-age pensions, benefits for the unemployed and for those out of work through sickness, support for families whose income is below a given level, and a wide range of other allowances for cases of special need. Together with the *National Health Service it is the main feature of Britain's *welfare state. The beginnings of the scheme came in the National Insurance Act of 1911, introduced by the Liberals, but this covered only a few selected industries. Among many later improvements the most extensive was the postwar Labour government's National Insurance Act of 1946. Contributions, part of which go also towards the cost of the National Health Service, are paid by all in employment (with an additional sum paid by the employer) and by the self-employed.
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