Poverty relief

Why was there a poverty crisis?

• Rising population

• Inflation

• Wars

• Cloth trade

• Bad harvests (1594-98)

• Enclosure'

• Dissolution of monasteries

What was the traditional main source of income?

Charity

What did rich do to help the poor?

Made donations to hospitals, monasteries, and other organisations that helped the poor

Poverty got so bad that…

charitable donations by individuals were no longer enough

What did people begin to realise?

Liz and her govt had to step up to solve the problem of poverty

What was Liz govt worried that the poverty levels were a threat to?

Law and order- increased poverty equals increased crime

When did developments in laws dealing with the poor begin?

1572

What did an Act of Parliament do in 1572 to do distinctions in poor?

Distinctions between genuinely unemployed and ‘idle poor’

Who were the helpless poor?

Those who were unable to support themselves including orphanages, elderly, sick, or disabled

Who were the deserving poor?

People who wanted to work but weren’t able to find a job

Who were the Undeserving poor?

Beggars, criminals, and people who refused to work. Also, migrants workers/ vagabonds who left their homes and travelled around looking for work

Who were the impotent poor?

A subcategory of the deserving poor which comprised those who could no longer look after themselves either bc of age, infirmary or orphans

What did the late years of Liz’s reign see?

Measures put into place to relieve poverty for the deserving poor

What was the Act of 1572?

The local taxpayers should be required to pay a rate for the relief of the poor

What was the Act of 1576?

First attempt to create a national poor system to be financed and administered locally. Under the system, towns had to make provisions for employment of the deserving poor.

What did the 1597 and 1601 Acts do to the legislative process?

Complete it

What was the Act in 1601 called?

Poor Law Act

What happened to the Parish in the 1601 Act?

Became the designated institution to raise money for the poor

What did each parish have to appoint?

An overseer

What was the key responsibilities of the overseer?

Relieving the deserving poor by setting them able-bodied work and apprenticing children

Who were the activities supervised by?

JPs

What was introduced to help the poor?

Compulsory poor rate

What had Liz’s govt taken it upon themselves the responsibility of?

Ensuring minimum levels of subsistence

When would the 1601 Poor Act remain intact until?

1834

Why were the undeserving poor whipped despite the Vagrancy Act being repealed?

Public punishments to discourage other people from doing the same thing

What did a 1572 Act give authorities?

A range of punishments allowed

What House was set up in 1576?

House of correction

Why was the house of correction set up?

Punish those who refused to work

What happened during the bad harvest in 1597?

Act passed which said that a first time offender had to be taken back to their home town where their local parish would deal with them and be whipped. Repeat offenders could be executed.