Poor Laws

When researching family history using parish records, it is important to understand the Poor Laws which governed relief given to the poor, by the parish, in the form of money, food, clothing or shelter.

Poor relief was funded by the poor rate, a tax levied on property in the parish.

The Settlement Act of 1682 allowed for the removal from a parish of newcomers, back to their place of "settlement", if local justices deemed them to be "likely to be chargeable" to the parish poor rate.

This meant, in effect, that labouring people could move to a new parish only under certain circumstances.

Being in continuous employment for at least a year would qualify someone for settlement in a new parish; however, employers would often hire for a period less than a full year, or with a small amount of unpaid holiday included. Conversely, labourers might quit their jobs within a year to avoid being trapped in a disagreeable parish.

The 1834 Poor Law Amendment Act set up a legal and administrative framework for a new poor relief system. It formed the parishes into Poor Law Unions, each of which operated a workhouse. Although the parishes funded the Union, they remained the area of settlement until 1865, after which one year's residence in a union would qualify a person as being irremovable.

An excellent overview of Poor Laws and the Settlement Act can be found at Peter Peter Higginbotham's web site www.workhouses.org.uk.

http://www.workhouses.org.uk/index.html?poorlaws