Poor Laws

• Elizabeth and her government were initially reluctant to accept that poverty was a national problem
• Various measures were introduced to help solve the problem initially indirectly
• Measures introduced


  1. A full recoinage to slow the process of inflation

  2. A law placing limits on the wages of skilled workers in order to slow down inflation

  3. Efforts to limit enclosure to protect rural jobs
• Government measures to help the poor were haphazard and limited
• Legislation regarding the poor was passed under Elizabeth

  1563, 1572 and 1576
• The government was impressed by the success of local measures in Ipswich, Norwich and York
• By the 1590, after years of war with Spain and a series of bad harvests


  Poverty was more apparent than ever
• The first nation-wide Poor Law was passed


  1597
• The 1597 Poor Law was later amended in 1601
• Elizabethan Poor Law


  An important milestone where the government took direct responsibility for the welfare of the people, filling the gap left by the monasteries
• The 1601 Poor Law lasted over two hundred years, until 1834
• Elizabeth and her government's motives for establishing the Poor Law


  Were complex and not entirely selfless, but a clever political move
• No rebellion caused by poverty occurred during Elizabeth's reign
• The Poor Law achieved its main aim of preserving social order
• The extent of the problem of poverty in this period


  Has been widely exaggerated, giving the Elizabeth Poor Law more credit than it really deserves
• Poverty continued to increase after the Poor Law was introduced
• The Poor Law was unnecessarily harsh, focusing too much on punishment rather than supporting those in need
• The threat of the House of Correction rather than the help offered may have reduced poverty
• There were problems with the implementation of the Poor Law, as it made each area responsible for its own poor, leading to arguments over which area paupers belonged to
• Without a clear home, some paupers were simply sent from one area to another
• Timeline of Poor Laws in Elizabethan England

  • 1531 Laws
  • 1552 Act
  • 1563 Act
  • 1572 Act
  • 1576 Act
  • 1597 Act
  • 1601 amendment of the 1597 Act
• 1531 Laws


  Before Elizabeth's time, but remained in place for most of her reign. With a few exceptions (who were given licences), beggars were publicly whipped. If they were caught a second time they would have a hole burned in their ear. Third time = execution by hanging.
• 1552 Act


  Each parish appointed two collectors to encourage people leaving church services to give towards the relief of the poor. These alms collectors then distributed the money to those who were known to be poor.
• 1563 Act - Official classification of the poor


  • Helpless poor (those too old, sick or young to work were given some relief, food and clothing)
  • Able-bodied poor (those who couldn't find work, expected to work but given some food and drink as payment)
  • Idle poor (those too lazy to work who had turned to crime and begging - they were to face harsh punishments)
• 1572 Act


  The first compulsory poor law tax was imposed at a local level making poverty a local responsibility. Each parish was responsible for providing relief for its own aged, sick and poor. The JP for each parish was allowed to collect a tax from those who owned land. This was called the Poor Rate.
• 1576 Act


  Each town was required to provide work for the unemployed. Institutions were set up which became known as 'workhouses', supplying raw materials such as wood or wool for them to work on. In this way the poor were given practical assistance whilst fulfilling a useful role for the community.
• 1597 Act


  A new position of 'Overseer of the Poor' was created. Their role was to calculate the amount of Poor Rate needed, collect it and dispense money, clothes and food. Ear boring was ended, but beggars were to be whipped through the streets until they arrived back at their own parish. Dangerous rogues were banished or executed.