Poor Relief - Law Commission

(o) all charitable gifts given in the future to the Parishes were to be paid to
the Corporation for the uses of the poor of the Parishes
(p) civil procedure; status of Act.
4. Although the 1697 Act authorised the construction of a workhouse (and other
buildings) in Shaftesbury, there is no evidence that any such building was ever
constructed. Historical records indicate that at least one workhouse was
subsequently built in Shaftesbury and was functioning by the early 19 th century. 38
The Shaftesbury Poor Law Union was formed in 1836 following which a new
workhouse in Shaftesbury was opened. However it does not appear that any of these
later workhouses derived in any way from the 1697 Act.
5. The 1697 Act has long been obsolete. It dates back to an age when relief for
the poor, and the money to pay for this, was organised on a parish basis. As
indicated in the accompanying background note, the system of parish-run poor relief
was abolished by the Local Government Act 1929. The poor law system was itself
finally abolished by the National Assistance Act 1948. The finance for providing the
income and other support previously provided by the parish is today drawn either
from funds provided by central government or raised by local government from local
taxation.
6. Accordingly the 1697 Act is obsolete and may now be repealed on that basis.
Extent
7. The provisions proposed for repeal had no effect outside the Shaftesbury area
of Dorset.
Consultation
8. HM Treasury, the Department for Communities and Local Government, the
Department for Work and Pensions, North Dorset District Council and the Local
Government Association have been consulted about these repeal proposals.
(32-195-455) LAW/005/018/06
July 2009
38
Workhouses had been established in the neighbouring areas of Alcester and Gillingham by the
1770s.
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