Government money for Pals battalions

Units/Formations
1

I’ve long understood that financing of a Pals battalion was the responsibility of the local authority until the battalion was taken over by the War Office, sometime in 1915. Yet I’ve recently come across a local newspaper article dated 10th November 1914 which states that Accrington had already been given £10,000 (equivalent to £1mio today) by the government for its Pals battalion and had even been offered a further £10,000 for the construction of a barracks to accommodate the battalion (declined on the grounds that the men were better off living at home).

Anyone able to give some clarity on this topic?

Andrew

2

Anything in Simkins’ “Kitchener’s Army”? I can dig out my copy if you don’t have it.

3

Just this that I can find: “The basic costs incurred by the raising committees were subsequently refunded, mostly in the summer of 1915, but while they were being fed, housed, clothed and equipped by bodies other than the War Office the Pals battalions were virtually private citizen armies and remained so for several months.” (Simkins, page 87)