Catalogue description National Service Hostels Corporation: Papers

The National Service Hostels Corporation was set up in 1941 by Ernest Bevin, the Minister of Labour and National Service, as an independent non-profit making organisation to cater for the needs of workers arising out of their employment during the Second World War. In particular, there was difficulty manning the armaments industries because workpeople had to be sent from their homes to places where there was not enough living accommodation, and therefore the government decided to set up hostels in those areas. The Corporation was registered under the Companies Act 1929 as a company without share capital, within the bounds of ministerial policy and control. Lord Rushcliffe, the former Minister of Labour, was appointed Chairman of the Corporation. By the end of the War, the Corporation was managing 58 industrial hostels and providing over 30,000 places.

After the Second World War, the main function of the Corporation was the provision of accommodation for workers employed away from home on essential reconstruction work. Following a ministerial announcement in November 1954, the hostels programme was reduced, and progressively the remaining hostels were closed. In 1956 the Corporation was wound up.