Poor Law policy after the New Poor Law
Encyclopedia
Poor Law policy after the New Poor Law concerns the time period c.1847-1900 after the implementation of the Poor Law Amendment Act until the beginnings of the decline of the Poor Law
system at the start of the 20th century.
was abolished following the Andover workhouse scandal. Tensions among Commissioners meant that the central administration of the system needed to change. The New Poor Law Board
had a sitting President, usually a Cabinet Minister, so that the Board could be both accountable to Parliament and more responsive to its wishes. The Local Government Board
took over the role of the Poor Law Board after the passing of the Second Great Reform Act. The Reform Act
enfranchised a greater number of people meaning that Parliament became more concerned with welfare.
system decreased. The Union Chargeability Act was passed in order to make each parish contribute to the Union fund or poor relief. As most Poor Law Guardians came from the middle classes there was an attempt to keep poor rates as low as possible which often meant offering outdoor relief rather than building costly workhouses.
actually rose during this period despite the attempts of the Poor Law Commission
to limit outdoor relief. The Outdoor Relief Prohibitory Order
was issued to reassert that the able-bodied should not receive outdoor relief and the The Outdoor Labour Test Order
meant that paupers in the North of England had to do hard monotonous work in order to receive outdoor relief. In 1863 when American crop failures led to an increase in pauperism the government passed short term measures which legitimized outdoor relief. The Local Government Board
similarly encouraged those unions to limit outdoor relief.
Poor Law
The English Poor Laws were a system of poor relief which existed in England and Wales that developed out of late-medieval and Tudor-era laws before being codified in 1587–98...
system at the start of the 20th century.
Administration
The Poor Law CommissionPoor Law Commission
The Poor Law Commission was a body established to administrate poor relief after the passing of the Poor Law Amendment Act 1834. The commission was made up of three commissioners who became known as "The Bashaws of Somerset House", their secretary and nine clerks or assistant commissioners...
was abolished following the Andover workhouse scandal. Tensions among Commissioners meant that the central administration of the system needed to change. The New Poor Law Board
Poor Law Board
The Poor Law Board was established in the United Kingdom in 1847 as a successor body to the Poor Law Commission overseeing the administration of the 1834 Poor Law Amendment Act...
had a sitting President, usually a Cabinet Minister, so that the Board could be both accountable to Parliament and more responsive to its wishes. The Local Government Board
Local Government Board
The Local Government Board was a British Government supervisory body overseeing local administration in England and Wales from 1871 to 1919.The LGB was created by the Local Government Board Act 1871 The Local Government Board (LGB) was a British Government supervisory body overseeing local...
took over the role of the Poor Law Board after the passing of the Second Great Reform Act. The Reform Act
Reform Act
In the United Kingdom, Reform Act is a generic term used for legislation concerning electoral matters. It is most commonly used for laws passed to enfranchise new groups of voters and to redistribute seats in the British House of Commons...
enfranchised a greater number of people meaning that Parliament became more concerned with welfare.
Cost
During this period the cost of the Poor LawPoor Law
The English Poor Laws were a system of poor relief which existed in England and Wales that developed out of late-medieval and Tudor-era laws before being codified in 1587–98...
system decreased. The Union Chargeability Act was passed in order to make each parish contribute to the Union fund or poor relief. As most Poor Law Guardians came from the middle classes there was an attempt to keep poor rates as low as possible which often meant offering outdoor relief rather than building costly workhouses.
Outdoor relief
The numbers receiving outdoor reliefOutdoor relief
This article refers to Britain's welfare provision after the 1601 Poor Law. For welfare programmes see Social securityAfter the passing of the Elizabethan Poor Law , outdoor relief was that kind of poor relief where assistance was in the form of money, food, clothing or goods, given to alleviate...
actually rose during this period despite the attempts of the Poor Law Commission
Poor Law Commission
The Poor Law Commission was a body established to administrate poor relief after the passing of the Poor Law Amendment Act 1834. The commission was made up of three commissioners who became known as "The Bashaws of Somerset House", their secretary and nine clerks or assistant commissioners...
to limit outdoor relief. The Outdoor Relief Prohibitory Order
Outdoor Relief Prohibitory Order
The Outdoor Relief Prohibitory Order was an Order from the Poor Law Commission issued on 21 December 1844 which aimed to finally end the distribution of outdoor relief to the able-bodied poor.-External links:*...
was issued to reassert that the able-bodied should not receive outdoor relief and the The Outdoor Labour Test Order
Outdoor Labour Test Order
The Outdoor Labour Test Order was a piece of policy issued by the Poor Law Commission on 13 April 1842 which allowed the use of outdoor relief to the able-bodied poor. The order was issued after there was some opposition to the Commission's previous order stating that only indoor relief should be...
meant that paupers in the North of England had to do hard monotonous work in order to receive outdoor relief. In 1863 when American crop failures led to an increase in pauperism the government passed short term measures which legitimized outdoor relief. The Local Government Board
Local Government Board
The Local Government Board was a British Government supervisory body overseeing local administration in England and Wales from 1871 to 1919.The LGB was created by the Local Government Board Act 1871 The Local Government Board (LGB) was a British Government supervisory body overseeing local...
similarly encouraged those unions to limit outdoor relief.