What was the impact of the New Poor Law? Flashcards
How was the NPL received in the South of England?
They accepted the new arrangements quickly. There was local variations and some people in different places were treated harsher than others. Outdoor relief for able-bodied men and ended.
How was the NPL received in the North and West of England?
It took longer to be introduced and was sometimes met with violence.
What did the NPL lead to?
There was riots in Huddersfield and Bradford. A new workhouse-based regime was also the cause of the Rebecca Riots in Wales, 1839.
When was outdoor relief officially banned?
- By 1839, 14,000 parishes (around 95%) had already ended it and created unions under the act.
What did the NPL do?
Lowered the cost for rate-payers, however, left people desperate to avoid workhouses due to the brutality within them.
How did the NPL achieve the Benthamite goal?
It created a cheaper, more efficient system due to the principle of people being made ‘less eligible’ to apply for relief.
What was the main opposition to the NPL?
Workers feared the new ‘Bastilles’ were influenced by rumours that the authorities wanted to kill off the poor by poisoning or maltreating them in workhouses.
John Fielden and Richard Oaster were the two main humanitarians opposing the NPL.
