Cameron Miranda
The Poor Law Amendment Act of 1834, widely known as the New Poor Law, was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom passed by the Whig government of Lord Melbourne and Earl Grey. The Act aimed to reduce the burden on ratepayers and curb the cost of poor relief by transferring unemployed rural workers to urban areas, where there was work, and by enabling a new system of relief. The new system, which replaced earlier legislation, was based on the idea that poverty was caused by the indigence of individuals rather than economic and social conditions. It recommended that relief be given only in workhouses, with conditions so harsh that only the truly destitute would apply for relief.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of the Law | Poor Law Amendment Act 1834 (PLAA) or the New Poor Law |
| Year of Passing the Law | 1834 |
| Who Passed the Law | The Whig government of Earl Grey |
| Aim | To reduce the burden on rate payers, deny the right of the poor to subsistence, and address abuses of the old system |
| Implementation | The law was implemented but the full rigours of the intended system were never applied in Northern industrial areas |
| Opposition | Workers, politicians, religious leaders, and organisations like the Todmorden Working Men's Association |
| Impact | The law failed to impact rural wages, labour mobility, or the fertility rate of the poor |
| Amendments | The harsh measures of the workhouses were amended to a certain degree due to fierce opposition |
| Replacement | The PLAA was repealed by the National Assistance Act 1948, which created the National Assistance Board |
| Royal Commission | A Royal Commission was set up in 1832 to investigate the workings of the Poor Law and make recommendations for improvement |
| Poor Law Commission | A Poor Law Commission was set up in London to supervise the work of local officials and implement the recommendations of the Royal Commission |
| Workhouses | Conditions in workhouses were deliberately made harsh to deter people from seeking relief |
| Outdoor Relief | Financial support outside of workhouses was abolished to compel people to work |
| Centralisation | The law shifted from local parish-level administration to a highly centralised system |
| Welfare Reform | The law was a significant welfare reform that encouraged the development of workhouses by poor law unions |
| Key Figures in Opposition | William Cobbett, Thomas Attwood, Daniel O'Connell, Joseph Rayner Stephens |
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What You'll Learn
The Whig government of Earl Grey
The Poor Law Amendment Act of 1834, also known as the New Poor Law, was passed by the Whig government of Earl Grey. The Act was a major overhaul of the Old Poor Law, which had been in place since the reign of Elizabeth I (1558-1603).
The New Poor Law aimed to address the rising costs of poor relief and curb abuses of the old system, particularly in the southern agricultural counties. It sought to reduce the burden on ratepayers and was an attempt by the Whig government to gain the votes of the middle-class men who had been recently enfranchised by the Great Reform Act.
The Act implemented a highly centralised system, with a new Poor Law Commission given responsibility for policy and administration. This commission was a new government department, based in London, employing inspectors to supervise the work of local officials. The Act also encouraged the large-scale development of workhouses by poor law unions, with each union required to have its own workhouse.
The workhouses were designed to be harsh and uncomfortable, serving as a deterrent to all but the truly destitute. Relief was only available within the confines of these workhouses, and outdoor relief for the able-bodied was abolished. This was intended to compel people to work, though outside assistance was still provided for the sick and elderly.
The New Poor Law was fiercely opposed by workers, politicians, and religious leaders, who objected to the harsh and inhumane conditions in the workhouses, as well as the separation of families. Despite this resistance, the Act remained in force throughout the Victorian age, only declining with the rise of the welfare state in the 20th century.
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The Royal Commission
In 1832, the government established a Royal Commission to investigate the workings of the Poor Law and make recommendations for improvement. The Commission was chaired by the Bishop of London and included Edwin Chadwick, John Bird Sumner, and Nassau William Senior. The Commission sent out questionnaires and visited over 3,000 parishes, collecting information on the administration of the Old Poor Law.
The Commission's report, presented in March 1834, was largely the work of Chadwick and Senior. The report concluded that poverty was caused by individual indigence rather than economic and social conditions. It recommended that conditions within workhouses should be worsened to deter people from claiming relief and that parishes should be grouped into unions to spread the cost of workhouses. The report also called for the establishment of a central authority to enforce these measures.
The findings of the Royal Commission led to the creation of a Poor Law Commission, which was given responsibility for the policy and administration of the new poor relief system. The Poor Law Amendment Act of 1834 implemented the Commission's recommendations, including the establishment of Poor Law Unions and the building of workhouses in each union for poor relief.
The 1834 Act was intended to reduce the burden on ratepayers and curb the cost of poor relief. It replaced the haphazard local administration of the old system with a highly centralised system. The Act was passed with wide support in Parliament, but it faced fierce opposition from workers, politicians, and religious leaders who criticised the harsh conditions in workhouses.
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The New Poor Law
The Poor Law Amendment Act 1834, widely known as the New Poor Law, was an act passed by the Parliament of the United Kingdom to deny the poor the right to subsistence. It replaced earlier legislation, such as the Poor Relief Act 1601, and aimed to transform the poverty relief system in England and Wales. The New Poor Law was a response to the rising costs of poor relief, which were borne by the middle and upper classes through local taxes, and sought to standardise the system across the country.
The workhouses were intended to provide housing, clothing, and food for the poor. In return, able-bodied adults were required to work several hours each day. While outdoor relief was meant to be abolished, it persisted in many Northern districts due to resistance and riots. The new system faced fierce opposition from workers, politicians, and religious leaders, who viewed the workhouses as 'prisons for the poor'.
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Workhouse conditions
The Poor Law Amendment Act of 1834, also known as the New Poor Law, was passed by the Whig government of Earl Grey. It replaced earlier legislation based on the Poor Relief Act of 1601 and aimed to fundamentally change the poverty relief system in England and Wales.
The New Poor Law ensured that the poor were housed, clothed, and fed in workhouses. However, conditions in these institutions were deliberately harsh to deter all but the truly destitute from seeking relief. Families were separated and housed in different parts of the workhouse. Inmates were forced to endure strict rules and regulations and wear uniforms and endure a monotonous diet. They were also subjected to long work hours, often performing unpleasant tasks such as picking oakum or breaking stones. Both adults and children were required to work in exchange for their care.
The workhouse test and the idea of "less eligibility" meant that conditions within workhouses were designed to be worse than the worst conditions outside. This was intended to discourage people from making unnecessary demands on public funds. However, it also led to widespread suffering and resistance from workers, politicians, and religious leaders.
The Andover workhouse scandal of the mid-1840s brought the inhumane and dangerous conditions in these institutions to light. Half-starved inmates were discovered eating rotting flesh from bones. While the government introduced stricter rules and regular inspections following the scandal, the treatment of the poor in workhouses remained cruel and contemptuous.
The Poor Law Amendment Act of 1834 faced fierce opposition, with some likening workhouses to prisons. The Todmorden Working Men's Association, founded in 1836, actively sought the repeal of the Act through public meetings, demonstrations, and trade boycotts. Despite the eventual amendment of the Act to remove the harshest measures, the resistance highlighted the widespread dissatisfaction with the workhouse system.
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Opposition and resistance
The Poor Law Amendment Act of 1834 was passed by Parliament with the intention of reducing the cost of poor relief and addressing the abuses of the old system. However, the Act faced significant opposition and resistance from various segments of society, including workers, politicians, and religious leaders.
One of the main points of contention was the harsh conditions imposed in workhouses. Conditions within workhouses were made deliberately harsh to deter people from seeking relief unless they were truly destitute. This approach was criticised as being inhumane and cruel, and it sparked fierce hostility from those who believed it unfairly punished the poor. The Andover workhouse scandal of the mid-1840s brought the inhumane conditions in workhouses to light, leading to investigations and eventual amendments to the Act that softened some of its harsher measures.
The requirement for the poor to enter workhouses and submit to family separation was another source of opposition. The new law stipulated that men had to leave their families and enter workhouses to receive relief, which was criticised by Charles Dickens in his novel "Oliver Twist". The public perceived workhouses as threatening and hated the idea of being separated from their families. This perception fuelled resistance, particularly in the North of England, where people felt that the existing system was functioning smoothly.
Resistance to the Poor Law took various forms, including public meetings, demonstrations, trade boycotts, and riots. The Todmorden Working Men's Association, founded in 1836, actively sought the repeal of the Act and engaged in a range of opposition activities. In 1838, local resistance escalated when special constables were sent to confiscate goods from William Ingham, the local Overseer of the Poor, who had refused to contribute to a Union Workhouse. A crowd of over a thousand gathered, severely beating the constables and stripping them of their uniforms. This incident sparked further riots and destruction of property belonging to local Poor Law supporters.
The Poor Law Commission attempted to exert more control by taking over administration from the townships in 1838, but this led to continued militant resistance, with troops being stationed in towns to quell public opposition. Despite these efforts, the resistance persisted, and by 1840, the local Guardians were effectively interpreting their role in a way that resembled the old township system.
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Frequently asked questions
The Poor Law Amendment Act of 1834, also known as the New Poor Law, was passed by the Whig government of Earl Grey.
The Act aimed to reduce the burden on ratepayers and curb the cost of poor relief. It also attempted to address the abuses of the old system, which was deemed to be badly and expensively run.
The Act replaced the administrative system based on local parishes with a highly centralised system. It also encouraged the large-scale development of workhouses by poor law unions.
