The Widows’, Orphans’ and Old Age Contributory Pensions Act 1925 allowed some women to reduce the impact of poverty and the vagaries of the Poor Law on their lives by promising a small amount of regular, definite income. From 4 January 1926, qualifying newly widowed women received a pension of 10 shillings per week, with additional allowances for children under the age of 14 (or 16 if still at school). This continued unless they remarried or cohabited. Women who were already widows at time of the legislation were only eligible if they had a child under 14, and their payments ceased when the youngest child was 14 and a half.
The full version of this landmark is written by Teresa Sutton.