The Relief of the Poor Act 1782 (22 Geo.3 c.83), also known as Gilbert's Act, was a

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...

poor relief law proposed by Thomas Gilbert which aimed to organise poor relief on a county basis, counties being organised into parishes which could set up poorhouses or workhouses between them. However, these workhouses were intended to help only the elderly, sick and orphaned, not the

able-bodied poor In English and British history, poor relief refers to government and ecclesiastical action to relieve poverty. Over the centuries, various authorities have needed to decide whose poverty deserves relief and also who should bear the cost of he ...

. The sick, elderly and infirm were cared for in

poorhouse A poorhouse or workhouse is a government-run (usually by a county or municipality) facility to support and provide housing for the dependent or needy. Workhouses In England, Wales and Ireland (but not in Scotland), ‘workhouse’ has been the ...

s whereas the able-bodied poor were provided with poor relief in their own homes. Gilbert's Act aimed to be more humane than the previous modification to the Poor Law, the

Workhouse Test Act The Workhouse Test Act 1723 (9 George 1, c.7) also known as the General Act or Knatchbull's Act was poor relief legislation passed by the British government by Sir Edward Knatchbull in 1723. The "workhouse test" was that a person who wanted to ...

. During the 1780s, there was an increase in unemployment and underemployment due to high

food prices Food prices refer to the average price level for food across countries, regions and on a global scale. Food prices have an impact on producers and consumers of food. Price levels depend on the food production process, including food marketing ...

, low wages and the effects of enclosing land. This caused

poor rate In England and Wales the poor rate was a tax on property levied in each parish, which was used to provide poor relief. It was collected under both the Old Poor Law and the New Poor Law. It was absorbed into 'general rate' local taxation in the ...

s to increase rapidly, which wealthy landowners found unacceptable. The Act was repealed by the

Statute Law Revision Act 1871 The Statute Law Revision Act 1871 (34 & 35 Vict c 116) is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It was intended, in particular, to facilitate the preparation of the revised edition of the statutes then in progress. This Act was part ...

Attempts to pass legislation

Thomas Gilbert attempted to pass an act "for the better relief and employment of the poor" in 1765.Bicheno J E
An inquiry into the poor laws
' 2nd edn (R Hunter, London 1824), free in Google Books Gilbert was a supporter of the

5th Duke of Bedford Francis Russell, 5th Duke of Bedford (23 July 1765 – 2 March 1802) was an English aristocrat and British Whig Party, Whig politician, responsible for much of the development of central Bloomsbury. Life Francis Russell, eldest son of Francis Ru ...

, which led to his act being blocked by Charles Wentworth, 2nd Marquess of Rockingham. Gilbert tried for 17 years to get his bill passed by

parliament In modern politics, and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: representing the electorate, making laws, and overseeing the government via hearings and inquiries. Th ...

, eventually succeeding during Rockingham's second term as prime minister.

References

External links

Information on the Act
{{UK legislation Great Britain Acts of Parliament 1782 Poor Law in Britain and Ireland Repealed Great Britain Acts of Parliament