Story: Women and men

Women getting a family benefit were given an entitlement certificate. On showing the certificate at a local social security office or post office they were paid the benefit amount. The certificate shown here belonged to Violet May Philpott, who was granted a benefit of four shillings a week in 1939 ($27 in 2009 terms). The monthly instalment figure of eight shillings, eight pence suggests that suggests that Mrs Philpott was actually paid fortnightly, or that some kind of deduction was being made.