Poor Act 1555

Poor Act 1555

Act of Parliament
Parliament of England
Long title	An Act for the Relief of the Poor.
Citation	2 & 3 Ph. & M. c. 5
Territorial extent	England and Wales
Dates
Royal assent	9 December 1555
Commencement	21 October 1555 [a]
Repealed	28 July 1863
Other legislation
Amends	Vagabonds Act 1530 Vagabonds Act 1549 Poor Act 1551
Amended by	Continuance of Laws Act 1558
Repealed by	Statute Law Revision Act 1863
Status: Repealed
Text of statute as originally enacted

The Poor Act 1555 (2 & 3 Ph. & M. c. 5) was an act of the Parliament of England passed by Queen Mary I. It is a part of the Tudor Poor Laws.

The act extended the Poor Act 1551 (5 & 6 Edw. 6. c. 2) and added a provision that licensed beggars must wear badges. The provision requiring badges was added to shame local community members into donating more alms to their parish for poor relief. ^[1]

Provisions

Section 10 of the act provided that the act would remain in force until the end of the next parliament.

Subsequent developments

The whole act was continued until the end of the next parliament by the Continuance of Laws Act 1558 (1 Eliz. 1. c. 18).

The whole act was repealed by section 1 of, and the schedule to, the Statute Law Revision Act 1863 (26 & 27 Vict. c. 125).

Notes

1. Start of session

References

1. Paul Slack, The English Poor Law 1531-1782 59--60