ABSTRACT
In comparison with services concerned with income maintenance, health and housing, local authority personal social services are of more recent origin. Much of the provision before 1946 was by voluntary bodies. One of the first post-war acts to give local authorities powers to intervene in this field was the National Health Service Act 1946 which, amongst other things, allowed local authorities to employ home helps [Document 18]. It also gave very general powers for the care and aftercare of persons suffering from illness and preventive measures relating to health. So services such as chiropody and laundry became possible.
