The Poor Law Amendment Act (1834)

The Poor Law Amendment Act of 1834 was a legislation in Britain that aimed to reform the way poverty was addressed. It centralized aid by closing down outdoor relief (assistance given without requiring people to live independently) and established workhouses where the impoverished, including families, had to live and work in exchange for assistance. The law was designed to make relief less appealing and encourage self-reliance, but it also led to harsh and inhumane conditions in workhouses. Overall, it marked a shift towards a more regulated, less generous system for supporting the poor.