Reforms to address squalor
New Towns Act 1946
The successes of this were:
- twelve new towns were planned in order to reduce overcrowding
The limitations of this were:
- the 1951 census revealed that there was approximately the same level of homelessness as in 1931
- high demand for housing still existed
The video below details the poor housing in Scotland between 1880-1939.
Housing Act 1949
The successes of this were:
- councils could buy houses in disrepair and make improvements
- householders could apply for assistance to make improvements
The limitations of this were:
- poor housing and homelessness were still serious problems at the end of the Labour administration in 1951 - there were 750,000 fewer houses than were required