Timeline of the English poor law system

Last updated July 24, 2025

The following article presents a timeline of the poor law system in England from its origins in the Tudor and Elizabethan era to its abolition in 1948.

1300s

1344- Royal Ordinance stated that lepers should leave London.^[1]
1388- Statute of Cambridge passed.^[2]

1400s

1494- Vagabonds and Beggars Act 1494 was passed.
1499- Vagabonds and Beggars Act 1494 was disputed in parliament.

1500s

1597 - The Act for the Relief of the Poor 1597 provides the first complete code of Poor Relief

1600s

1601 - Old Poor Law passed. This would remain the basis of the Poor Law system until 1834
1662 - Poor Relief Act 1662 passed to deal with the problems of settlement
1697 - Poor Act 1697 passed

1700s

1723 - the workhouses decided to give jobs to the poor so there wouldn't been so much of them on the street
1782 - Relief of the Poor Act 1782 passed.

1800s

1815 - The French Wars come to an end.
1830 - The Swing Riots highlight the possibility of agricultural unrest.
1832 - The Royal Commission into the Operation of the Poor Laws begins its investigation into the Poor Law system
1834 - Poor Law Amendment Act passed
1842 - Outdoor Labour Test Order allows outdoor relief despite the Poor Law Amendment Act's ban on it
1844 - Outdoor Relief Prohibitory Order issued to further discourage outdoor relief
1847 - The Poor Law Commission is abolished and replaced by the Poor Law Board
1848 - The Huddersfield workhouse scandal occurs.
1865 - The Union Chargeability Act 1865 is passed
1867 - The Second Reform Act
1871 - The Local Government Board takes the powers of the Poor Law Board

1900s

1905 - Royal Commission on the Poor Laws and Relief of Distress 1905-09 set up by the outgoing Conservative government.
1906 - The Liberal Government is elected and begins an ambitious programme of welfare reforms.
1909 - The Minority report
1929 - The workhouse system is abolished by the Local Government Act 1929.
1948 - The Poor Law system abolished by the National Assistance Act 1948 (11 & 12 Geo. 6. c. 29).

References

External links

Timeline

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[1] "Key dates in Poor Law and Relief Great Britain 1300 - 1899".

[2] "Key dates in Poor Law and Relief Great Britain 1300 - 1899".

[1]

[2]

v t e Poor laws of the British Isles
Poor laws by territory	England and Wales Scotland Ireland Isle of Man	Nantwich workhouse
Old Poor Law	Vagabonds and Beggars Act 1494 Tudor poor laws Poor Relief Act 1597 Poor Relief Act 1601 Poor Relief Act 1662 Relief of the Poor Act 1696 Poor Relief Act 1722 Relief of the Poor Act 1782 House of correction Overseer of the poor Poor rate Poor relief Buttock mail
Relief systems	Outdoor relief Speenhamland Labour Rate Roundsman Committee for the Relief of the Black Poor
New Poor Law	Royal commission (1832) Poor Law Amendment Act 1834 Poor Law (Scotland) Act 1845 Less eligibility Workhouse Workhouse test Board of guardians Outdoor Labour Test Order Outdoor Relief Prohibitory Order Poor law unions Opposition Book of Murder Scottish poorhouse
Changes after 1834	Poor Law Commission Poor Law Board Local Government Board Andover workhouse scandal Huddersfield workhouse scandal Union Chargeability Act
Decline and abolition	Liberal welfare reforms Royal Commission (1905–09) Majority Report Minority Report Interwar poverty National Assistance Act 1948
Other	Christmas Day in the Workhouse Historiography of the Poor Laws Timeline of the English poor law system Poor Relief Act List of poor law unions in England List of poor law unions in Wales List of Irish poor law unions