Outdoor relief, an obsolete term originating with the
Elizabethan Poor Law (1601)
The Poor Relief Act 1601 (43 Eliz 1 c 2) was an Act of the Parliament of England. The Act for the Relief of the Poor 1601, popularly known as the Elizabethan Poor Law, "43rd Elizabeth" or the Old Poor Law was passed in 1601 and created a poor l ...
, was a program of
social welfare and
poor relief. Assistance was given in the form of money, food, clothing or goods to alleviate poverty without the requirement that the recipient enter an institution. In contrast, recipients of
indoor relief were required to enter an almshouse, orphanage,
workhouse or
poorhouse. Outdoor relief consisted of hot meals and provision of blankets and things necessary for homeless persons. Outdoor relief was also a feature of the
Scottish and
Irish poor Law systems.
Outdoor relief
''Oxford Reference'' (Accessed 18 July 2020)
References
Scottish Poor Laws
Irish Poor Laws
English Poor Laws
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