Can you identify the two measures that were implemented before the onset of the First World War in 1914?

Before the First World War dramatically reshaped British society, significant social reforms were already underway, laying the groundwork for the welfare state we know today. Think back to the early 1900s: poverty was widespread, and access to basic necessities like food and financial security in old age was limited for many. It was in this context that the Liberal government introduced the Old Age Pensions Act in 1908, providing a small, means-tested pension to those over 70. This was a groundbreaking step, acknowledging the state's responsibility to care for its elderly citizens. Simultaneously, the Education (Provision of Meals) Act in 1906 empowered local authorities to provide free school meals to children from impoverished families. This aimed to combat child hunger and improve educational outcomes. These two measures – state retirement pensions and free school meals – were indeed in place before 1914. Child Benefit payments and the National Health Service, on the other hand, are much later developments, emerging in the mid-20th century as part of the post-World War II welfare state expansion.