The Poor Law Amendment Act of 1871

• Background and context
• Key provisions
  • Extension of outdoor relief
  • Improved local administration
  • Stronger regulations for workhouses
  • Regulation of the assignment of poor relief
  • Impact on children and families
  • Encouraging self-help and employment
• Impact
  • Expansion of outdoor relief
  • Improved conditions in workhouses
  • Enhanced local control
  • The start of social reforms for vulnerable groups
  • Ongoing debate and criticism
• Conclusion

Background and context

The Poor Law Amendment Act of 1834 had introduced a system that sought to reduce the cost of poor relief, often by providing it in the form of workhouses, which were designed to be unattractive to those seeking help. However, by the 1860s and 1870s, the system was facing significant criticism for its harshness, particularly as poverty became more visible in rapidly industrializing cities. Critics argued that the system was too rigid, too punitive, and insufficient to deal with the evolving needs of the poor in an increasingly urbanised and industrialised society.

In the years leading up to the Poor Law Amendment Act of 1871, there was growing concern about the administration of the poor law, particularly regarding issues like outdoor relief (assistance provided outside the workhouse) and the increasing complexity of local governance. The 1871 Act was part of a broader attempt to address these concerns and provide more effective and humane relief to the poor, while also improving the administration and oversight of the system.

Key provisions

The Poor Law Amendment Act of 1871 did not completely overhaul the Poor Law system, but it did make several significant reforms to improve its administration, respond to criticism, and adjust the system to new social conditions. Here are the primary provisions of the Act:

Extension of outdoor relief

The 1834 Poor Law Amendment Act had emphasised indoor relief (provided within workhouses) and discouraged outdoor relief (provided outside workhouses), believing that outdoor relief encouraged dependency. However, by the 1860s, it became clear that in some cases, outdoor relief was a more humane and practical option.

The 1871 Act expanded the provision of outdoor relief, especially for the sick, the elderly, and children. This was in response to public concerns that workhouses were becoming overcrowded and that certain groups (such as the infirm and children) should not have to endure the harsh conditions of the workhouse if they were not able to work.

Improved local administration

The Act introduced measures to improve local administration of poor relief. It granted more power to Boards of Guardians (the local authorities responsible for administering the Poor Law) to manage the distribution of relief and enforce regulations, but it also sought to improve oversight to ensure that relief was administered more effectively and equitably.

The Act also aimed to increase central oversight from the Poor Law Commission (the body responsible for overseeing the entire system), ensuring that poor relief was administered more uniformly across the country.

Stronger regulations for workhouses

The workhouses, which had become synonymous with the Poor Law system, were infamous for their harsh conditions. While the 1871 Act did not abolish workhouses, it introduced reforms to improve the conditions within them, particularly in terms of sanitation, food, and medical care.

The Act recognised that certain categories of people (such as the elderly, sick, and children) should not be subjected to the same strict workhouse rules as able-bodied adults.

Regulation of the assignment of poor relief

The 1871 Act also regulated the assignment of relief to individuals. While the Poor Law system had focused primarily on workhouses, the Act created a more balanced system where outdoor relief could be provided more frequently in situations where it was more appropriate and practical.

The Act allowed for outdoor relief to be extended to the sick, the elderly, and sometimes to families with children who could not work and did not need to be institutionalised in a workhouse.

Impact on children and families

In the 19th century, the treatment of children in the Poor Law system was a controversial issue. The 1834 Act had focused heavily on the idea that the poor should be treated as a group, without regard for individual circumstances. However, the 1871 Act made some provisions for the specific needs of children and families.

Under the 1871 reforms, families with children were sometimes allowed to receive outdoor relief, as long as they met certain criteria. This was a move away from the harsh, one-size-fits-all approach that had dominated earlier Poor Law reforms.

The Act also addressed the issue of children who were sent to the workhouses. There was a growing recognition that children should not be treated the same as adults in workhouses and that they needed to be cared for differently.

Encouraging self-help and employment

One of the ongoing themes of Poor Law reform was the encouragement of self-reliance and work ethic. The 1871 Act reinforced the principle that able-bodied poor people should be expected to work for their relief, but it also acknowledged the reality that some individuals were unable to work due to old age, disability, or illness.

The Act included measures to encourage the poor to seek work when possible, and in some cases, it facilitated public works programs to create jobs for the unemployed. This was part of the broader Victorian notion that poverty could be alleviated through moral improvement and employment rather than direct charity.

Impact

While the Poor Law Amendment Act of 1871 was not a complete departure from the 1834 Act, it did make important changes that reflected the evolving understanding of poverty and the growing calls for a more humane system of poor relief. Here are some of the key impacts:

Expansion of outdoor relief

The expansion of outdoor relief was a significant reform that addressed the growing concerns over the harshness of the workhouse system. The Act made it easier for poor people, especially the sick, the elderly, and children, to receive relief outside the workhouse, improving their dignity and quality of life.

Improved conditions in workhouses

While still not ideal, the reforms in the 1871 Act helped improve the conditions in workhouses, which had been notorious for their harshness. This reform helped to make the workhouse system slightly more humane, although it would take further legislation in the late 19th and early 20th centuries to make more substantial improvements.

Enhanced local control

By giving more control to local boards and guardians, the Act allowed poor relief to be administered more efficiently in certain areas. It also provided the state with more centralised oversight to ensure fairness in the distribution of relief.

The start of social reforms for vulnerable groups

The 1871 Act reflected the growing awareness of the needs of vulnerable groups such as children, the elderly, and the sick. Though it did not fully solve the problems facing these groups, it laid the groundwork for future reforms to improve their treatment.

Ongoing debate and criticism

Despite the reforms, the Poor Law system continued to be criticised for being punitive and insufficient in addressing the root causes of poverty. The 1871 Act was a step toward more compassionate treatment of the poor, but many continued to argue that the system was fundamentally flawed and needed further reforms.

Conclusion

The Poor Law Amendment Act of 1871 was an important reform to the Poor Law system that sought to address some of the criticisms that had been leveled at the harshness of the 1834 Poor Law. While it did not represent a complete departure from the system, it expanded the provision of outdoor relief, improved conditions in workhouses, and began to recognise the specific needs of vulnerable groups like the sick, elderly, and children. It was a significant step toward a more humane approach to poverty relief, though it would take further legislation in the 20th century to fully address the issues of social welfare and poverty in the UK.

Read more about the related legislation passed by the UK Government