The Outdoor Labour Test Order was a piece of policy issued by the
Poor Law Commission
The Poor Law Commission was a body established to administer poor relief after the passing of the Poor Law Amendment Act 1834. The commission was made up of three commissioners who became known as "The Bashaws of Somerset House", their secretary ...
on 13 April 1842 which allowed the use of
outdoor relief
Outdoor relief, an obsolete term originating with the Elizabethan Poor Law (1601), was a programme of social welfare and poor relief. Assistance was given in the form of money, food, clothing or goods to alleviate poverty without the requirem ...
to the
able-bodied poor. The order was issued after there was some opposition to the commission's previous order stating that only
indoor relief should be used. During times when the manufacturing industries were performing poorly this became impractical - however the
Poor Law Amendment Act 1834
The Poor Law Amendment Act 1834 (4 & 5 Will. 4. c. 76) (PLAA) known widely as the New Poor Law, was an Act of Parliament (United Kingdom), act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom passed by the British Whig Party, Whig government of Charles ...
had aimed to prevent the use of
outdoor relief
Outdoor relief, an obsolete term originating with the Elizabethan Poor Law (1601), was a programme of social welfare and poor relief. Assistance was given in the form of money, food, clothing or goods to alleviate poverty without the requirem ...
and replace it with
indoor relief.
See also
*
Outdoor Relief Prohibitory Order
From the handwritten minutes of the Warrington Board of Guardians, accessed at Preston Archive service 27 March 2012
6 September 1859.
Mr Manwaring, Visitor on behalf of the Poor Law Board, had reported that:
‘In consequence of the distance from town which the office where the outdoor paupers are relieved is situated the relief of those aged and infirm paupers who cannot on account of their infirmities attend to receive it is transmitted to them through other paupers who deduct a trifling sum for their trouble.’
''my notes''The Poor Law Board write to quote this and tell the Warrington Board of Guardians that they should situate the relieving office to the centre of town so that these infirm paupers can collect their own money.
The Guardians’ relieving officer reported to them (on 13 September) that the number of persons who would benefit from an office in the Town Centre was ‘only thirteen’. The Warrington Board of Guardians decided to write to the Poor Law Board saying there will be no alteration in the method of paying relief.
External links
Workhouse.org's article on the order{{Poor Law
Poor Law in Britain and Ireland
1842 in the United Kingdom