Pearson Edexcel · A-Level · History
Course version: 9HI0 · Version from Sept 2015
Poverty, public health and the state in Britain, c1780–1939 - 2 Less…
Full specification wording
Paper 3, Option 34.2: Poverty, public health and the state in Britain, c1780–1939 - 2 Less eligibility: the Poor Law Amendment Act and its impact, 1832–47: The impact of the workhouse: the workhouse test and less eligibility; the workhouse regime and the continuation of outdoor relief.
The workhouse test required able-bodied paupers to enter the workhouse to receive relief, enforcing less eligibility by making conditions worse than the lowest paid independent labourer.
Checked against the Pearson Edexcel 9HI0 specification (opens in a new tab) on .
- Point 2 of 3
- 4 key terms
Study notes
From the checked teaching notes for this specification point.
The idea
The workhouse test required able-bodied paupers to enter the workhouse to receive relief, enforcing less eligibility by making conditions worse than the lowest paid independent labourer. The workhouse regime imposed strict discipline, segregation, uniforms, and monotonous tasks. However, outdoor relief continued, especially in industrial areas, because workhouses could not accommodate all and local resistance persisted.
What earns the marks
- Explains the workhouse test and less eligibility, including how they deterred able-bodied paupers from seeking relief.
- Describes the workhouse regime, including discipline, segregation, diet, and tasks.
- Analyses the continuation of outdoor relief, especially in the north and during economic downturns.
- Evaluates the impact of the workhouse on different groups, such as the elderly, children, and the able-bodied poor.
- Assesses the extent to which the workhouse test was enforced uniformly across the country.
- Explains reasons for the persistence of outdoor relief, including local opposition and practical constraints.
Common mistakes and how to put them right
Assuming all paupers entered the workhouse after 1834.
Put it right: Outdoor relief continued for many, particularly in industrial areas.
Confusing less eligibility with the workhouse test.
Put it right: Less eligibility is the principle that relief must be less attractive than the lowest paid work, while the workhouse test is a method of enforcing it.
Overlooking the regional variations in the workhouse system.
Put it right: The north and industrial areas often resisted the workhouse test and relied on outdoor relief.
Believing workhouse conditions were uniform.
Put it right: Conditions varied between unions and over time.
Exam tips
- Use specific examples of workhouse conditions and outdoor relief to illustrate the impact on paupers.
- Analyse the reasons for the continuation of outdoor relief, linking to local economic and social factors.
- Evaluate the effectiveness of the workhouse test in achieving less eligibility, considering regional differences.
- Practise comparing the intended aims of the workhouse system with its actual implementation.
Try the lesson
The start of the Paper 3, Option 34.2: Poverty, public health and the state in Britain, c1780–1939 - 2 Less eligibility: the Poor Law Amendment Act and its impact, 1832–47: The impact of the workhouse: the workhouse test and less eligibility; the workhouse regime and the continuation of outdoor relief. lesson, made from checked teaching notes for this specification point.
Have a go first
Under the new poor law, what did the principle of less eligibility mean for a person receiving relief inside the workhouse?
Listen
The workhouse test required able-bodied paupers to enter the workhouse to receive relief, enforcing less eligibility by making conditions worse than the lowest paid independent labourer. The workhouse regime imposed strict discipline, segregation, uniforms, and monotonous tasks. However, outdoor relief continued, especially in industrial areas, because workhouses could not accommodate all and local resistance persisted. A strong answer earns marks for these points. Explains the workhouse test and less eligibility, including how they deterred able-bodied paupers from seeking relief. Describes the workhouse regime, including discipline, segregation, diet, and tasks. Analyses the continuation of outdoor relief, especially in the north and during economic downturns. Evaluates the impact of the workhouse on different groups, such as the elderly, children, and the able-bodied poor. A common slip: Assuming all paupers entered the workhouse after 1834. Instead, outdoor relief continued for many, particularly in industrial areas. Exam tip: Use specific examples of workhouse conditions and outdoor relief to illustrate the impact on paupers.
Key words
Say what each word means before you turn the card.
Workhouse test
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Less eligibility
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Workhouse regime
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Outdoor relief
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See every definition
- Workhouse test
- A requirement that able-bodied paupers enter the workhouse to receive relief, used as a method of enforcing less eligibility.
- Less eligibility
- The principle that relief must be less attractive than the lowest paid work, making conditions worse than those of the lowest paid independent labourer.
- Workhouse regime
- Strict discipline, segregation, uniforms and monotonous tasks imposed within the workhouse.
- Outdoor relief
- Relief given outside the workhouse, which continued especially in industrial areas because workhouses could not accommodate all and local resistance persisted.
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