What was the 1834 Poor Law and what was its purpose?

What was the 1834 Poor Law and what was its purpose?

The new Poor Law ensured that the poor were housed in workhouses, clothed and fed. Children who entered the workhouse would receive some schooling. In return for this care, all workhouse paupers would have to work for several hours each day.

How did poor laws change in 1834?

The recommendations of the commission formed the basis of the Poor Law Amendment Act 1834, dubbed the ‘new Poor Law’, which overhauled the system of providing support to the poor in August 1834. The Act grouped local parishes into Poor Law unions, under 600 locally elected Boards of Guardians.

What was the Poor Law Amendment Act of 1834 designed to achieve was it successful?

The 1834 Poor Law Amendment Act led to immediate and visible economies and a rapid fall in the cost of relief in most areas because conditions deliberately were made harsh. However, some of the ‘evils’ it was designed to destroy were exaggerated.

Why did the poor law fail?

The Poor Law system fell into decline at the beginning of the 20th century owing to factors such as the introduction of the Liberal welfare reforms and the availability of other sources of assistance from friendly societies and trade unions, as well as piecemeal reforms which bypassed the Poor Law system.

Who introduced the Poor Law 1834?

Earl Grey
The Poor Law Amendment Act 1834 (PLAA) known widely as the New Poor Law, was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom passed by the Whig government of Earl Grey.

When did the 1834 Poor Law end?

It completely replaced earlier legislation based on the Poor Law of 1601 and attempted to fundamentally change the poverty relief system in England and Wales (similar changes were made to the poor law for Scotland in 1845)….Poor Law Amendment Act 1834.

Dates
Royal assent 14 August 1834
Status: Repealed
Text of statute as originally enacted

When was the Poor Law 1834 abolished?

When was the poor law abolished?

1948
1946 National Health Service Act. 1948 National Assistance Act. This contained the abolition of the Poor Law, and set out a new legislative framework for provision for people in need, including residential care. 1948 Children Act, which established local authority departments to receive children into care.

Who passed the Poor Law 1834?

of Earl Grey

What was the Old Poor Law before 1834?

This Act provided for the employment of salaried overseers, better-kept accounts and either the building or enlargement of workhouses. Also, under this legislation, two JPs were needed to agree to force the Vestry to give poor relief, rather than only one JP as before.

When did the Poor Law start and end?

The workhouses theoretically came to an end with the transfer of the Poor Law to local authorities in 1929, but in reality they continued under local authority control in the form of ‘Public Assistance Institutions’ until the final abolition of the Poor Law in 1948.

When did poor laws of 1834 end?

As the Act of Union which united England and Scotland did not alter Scotland’s legal system, this Poor Law system did not disappear after 1707. Reforms similar in intent to the English reforms of 1834 were made in 1845.