poor law

noun

a law providing support for the poor

• Topics: ↑law, ↑jurisprudence

• Hypernyms: ↑law

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noun

Etymology: poor (II)

: a law providing for or regulating the public relief or support of the poor

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a law or system of laws providing for the relief or support of the poor at public expense.

[1745-55]

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poor law noun

(often in pl) the law or laws relating to the support of the poor

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Main Entry: ↑poor

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poor law,

a law providing for the relief or support of the poor.

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n. Brit., historical a law relating to the support of the poor. Originally the responsibility of the parish, the relief and employment of the poor passed over to the workhouses in 1834. In the early 20th century, the Poor Law was replaced by social security

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the ˈPoor Law [Poor Law] noun

a group of laws used in Britain in the past to control the help that was given to poor people

 

Culture:

The first Poor Law (1601) stated that the poor were the responsibility of the ↑parish, and that local people should be taxed to provide food for the poor. These taxes became too high when the number of poor people increased in the early 19th century, and in 1834 a new Poor Law stated that the poor should be made to work in ↑workhouses. This system was very unpopular, but it was not officially changed until the 1930 Poor Law introduced a national system of social welfare.