The 'Welfare State' that we have in Britain today did not begin until the early 20th century. In the 19th century if a miner was not in work (through illness, old age, unemployment etc.) he and his family had no automatic right to social security benefits as we do today. Therefore, even in fairly prosperous years there was always some real poverty. In such circumstances the poor would have to rely on help from their family and on ‘tick’ (credit) from the shops. During periods of unemployment and strikes they often had to resort to picking coal from the tips and selling it, and soup kitchens where free meals were provided.

If help and charity were not enough the only alternative was to 'go on the Parish'. This meant applying to the Poor Law Authorities for help. Each Parish set aside some of the m money raised from the rates for poor relief which was doled out by Guardians, who were elected by the ratepayers. After the Poor Law Amendment Act was passed by Parliament in 1834 the Poor Law Unions (a number of parishes joined together) had to set up Workhouses. Usually those who applied for poor relief had to go into these Workhouses where conditions were harsh, for example, is the food given in Swansea Workhouse in 1862:

Entering the Workhouse was called receiving 'in-relief' and usually the authorities did not believe in giving out-relief (money or food to people outside the workhouse) except in very few cases and then it would be no more than 2s. 6d. per week. By the end of the 19th century when there was a great deal of unemployment or a major strike, out-relief could be given only if work was done in return. This work was often very hard.

Because of the poverty and hardship which might befall a miner as a result of an accident at work, some colliery companies set up their own Insurance . Funds which paid sickness benefit for short periods. However, the main method chosen by working people to guard against the poverty which might come from illness and old age, was to join a Friendly Society. People paid a weekly subscription to these Societies and in return they would receive assistance during difficult times.

These societies began in the early 19th century and were then organised on particular trades or areas and even individual public houses. After 1850 there was a tremendous growth in the societies and by the end of the century there were some 1,500 societies in Glamorgan and Monmouthshire alone, with nearly 250,000 members. By then it was the big national orders which were dominant-the Oddfellows, Hearts of Oak, the Ivorites. Not only were they a popular form of self-help, the societies were also organisations which people joined for the enjoyment that was had on 'club nights' and on processions and marches that were held. They were also very democratic organisations and gave training to many future community leaders. The societies did not pay very good benefits on the death of a member and with so many deaths from mining disasters taking place in South Wales, by the 1890s insurance companies such as the Prudential and special insurance funds (known as Permanent Relief Funds) were also active in the valleys.