Catalogue description Records of the Poor Law Division and predecessor

The Poor Law Division, with the assistance of the General Inspectorate of the Ministry, was responsible for all questions relating to the provision of poor relief, with the exception of formal legal work carried out by the Legal Branch and medical work undertaken by the health divisions.

In 1930 the old poor law boards of guardians were replaced, under the Local Government Act 1929, by public assistance committees of county and county borough councils, though in the counties important functions could be delegated to local subcommittees of the public assistance committee called guardians committees. Local authorities were required to prepare administrative schemes for the discharge of the functions transferred from the poor law unions and submit them for approval to the minister.

The prolonged unemployment of the inter-war years placed considerable strain on the public assistance authorities and led ultimately to the transfer of responsibility for the able-bodied unemployed to central government. In the transitional period the public assistance authorities were used widely by the Ministry of Labour and the Unemployment Assistance Board in the administration of transitional payments to insured persons whose benefit was exhausted and, later, of assistance to all unemployed persons. These departments relied heavily upon the services of the Poor Law Division and the General Inspectorate for liaison with the public assistance authorities.

The Unemployment Assistance Board assumed direct responsibility in January 1935 for assistance to the insured unemployed whose benefits were exhausted and in April 1937 for the remaining able-bodied unemployed. The Poor Law Division remained responsible for the maintenance of public assistance institutions and for outdoor relief of persons over the age of 65. The Old Age and Widows' Pensions Act 1940 transferred responsibility for supplementary allowances to pensioners from the public assistance authorities to the Assistance Board acting under the directions of the Minister of Health.

In 1947 supervision of local child care services was transferred to the Home Office. Finally in 1948 the old poor law was rendered void and abolished by the establishment of the National Health Service, the comprehensive scheme of national insurance, and the system of national assistance administered by the National Assistance Board. Local authorities remained responsible for the care of infirm aged, blind, deaf, crippled and homeless persons as part of their general medical and welfare services. Poor law institutions were gradually converted for use as hospitals, old people's homes and reception and welfare centres.