poor relief
Assistance for indigents
Poor relief is government or charitable aid to people in poverty—food, money, housing, or other assistance to those who cannot support themselves.
The term is historical, associated especially with systems like England's Poor Laws from the 16th through 19th centuries: The parish administered poor relief to widows and orphans.
Modern equivalents include welfare, public assistance, and social services.
- pauperismCondition of being destitute
- almshouseCharitable home for poor
- means testEvaluation of financial eligibility
- soup kitchensFree meal centers for poor
- bread lineQueue for free food
dole queue · mutual aid societies · alms giving · food stamps · indigent · donations · Medicaid · unemployment benefits · public assistance · housing subsidies · destitution · wealth redistribution · microfinance · social security · penury · poverty · safety net · welfare state
poor reliefearned income
Pay from work
wages · salary · earnings · employment income · self-employment
poor reliefworkhouse
Institution housing poor laborers
forced labor · debtors' prison · vagrancy laws · laissez-faire · welfare cuts