Relief of the Poor Act 1782
Encyclopedia
The Relief of the Poor Act 1782 (22 Geo.3 c.83), also known as Gilbert's Act, was a British
poor relief law proposed by Thomas Gilbert which aimed to organise poor relief on a county basis, counties being organised into parishes which could set up workhouses between them. However, these workhouses were intended to help only the elderly, sick and orphaned, not the able-bodied poor. The sick, elderly and infirm were cared for in poorhouse
s whereas the able-bodied poor were provided with poor relief in their own homes. Gilbert's Act aimed to be more humane than the previous modification to the Poor Law, the Workhouse Test Act
. During the 1780s, there was an increase in unemployment and underemployment due to high food prices, low wages and the effects of enclosing
land. This caused poor rate
s to increase rapidly, which wealthy landowners found unacceptable.
The Act was repealed by the Statute Law Revision Act 1871.
, eventually succeeding during Rockingham's second term as prime minister.
Kingdom of Great Britain
The former Kingdom of Great Britain, sometimes described as the 'United Kingdom of Great Britain', That the Two Kingdoms of Scotland and England, shall upon the 1st May next ensuing the date hereof, and forever after, be United into One Kingdom by the Name of GREAT BRITAIN. was a sovereign...
poor relief law proposed by Thomas Gilbert which aimed to organise poor relief on a county basis, counties being organised into parishes which could set up workhouses between them. However, these workhouses were intended to help only the elderly, sick and orphaned, not the able-bodied poor. The sick, elderly and infirm were cared for in poorhouse
Poorhouse
A poorhouse or workhouse was a government-run facility in the past for the support and housing of dependent or needy persons, typically run by a local government entity such as a county or municipality....
s whereas the able-bodied poor were provided with poor relief in their own homes. Gilbert's Act aimed to be more humane than the previous modification to the Poor Law, the Workhouse Test Act
Workhouse Test Act
The Workhouse Test Act also known as the General Act or Knatchbull's Act was poor relief legislation passed by the British government by Sir Edward Knatchbull in 1723. The "workhouse test" was that a person who wanted to receive poor relief had to enter a workhouse and undertake a set amount of work...
. During the 1780s, there was an increase in unemployment and underemployment due to high food prices, low wages and the effects of enclosing
Enclosure
Enclosure or inclosure is the process which ends traditional rights such as mowing meadows for hay, or grazing livestock on common land. Once enclosed, these uses of the land become restricted to the owner, and it ceases to be common land. In England and Wales the term is also used for the...
land. This caused poor rate
Poor rate
In England and Wales, under the 1601 Elizabethan Poor Law the poor rate was a tax on property levied on the parish which was used to provide poor relief to the parish poor. The tax was collected by local magistrates or Overseers of the Poor, and later by Local Authorities....
s to increase rapidly, which wealthy landowners found unacceptable.
The Act was repealed by the Statute Law Revision Act 1871.
Attempts to pass legislation
Thomas Gilbert attempted to pass an act 'for the better relief and employment of the poor' in 1765. Gilbert was a supporter of the Duke of Bedford, which led to his act being blocked by Charles Wentworth, second Marquis of Rockingham. Gilbert tried for 17 years to get his bill passed by parliamentParliament of Great Britain
The Parliament of Great Britain was formed in 1707 following the ratification of the Acts of Union by both the Parliament of England and Parliament of Scotland...
, eventually succeeding during Rockingham's second term as prime minister.