Although there are many definitions of poverty the World Bank Organization in 2013 defines poverty as poverty is hunger. Poverty is lack of shelter. Poverty is being sick and not being able to see a doctor. Poverty is not having access to school and not knowing how to read. Poverty is not having a job, is fear for the future, living one day at a time. Poverty has many faces, changing from place to place and across time, and has been described in many ways. Most often, poverty is a situation people want to escape. So poverty is a call to action -- for the poor and the wealthy alike -- a call to change the world so that many more may have enough to eat, adequate shelter, access to education and health, protection from violence, and a voice in what happens in their communities. (StudentReach.org, 2013).
In 1601, the Poor Law was introduced to tackle poverty. This was a relief system which placed emphasis upon the local parish to look after their own poor and was considered responsible for the collection of a tax known as the Poor Rate from its parishioners. In order to gain Poor Relief a person had to be born within the parish, live within the parish for three years prior to 1662, been employed for more than one year and a day, hold an office within the parish, married into the parish or gained poor relief in that parish previously. Should a person not meet any of the demands made within the strict criteria then Poor Relief was not given. People would receive either outdoor relief, which was paid to families who lived in their own or rented homes or indoor relief, paid to those working in parish workhouses. People were placed into three groups: The impotent poor, those who were old, ill, blind or lame. They were cared for in almshouses or poorhouses and given relief by the government from the poor rate. The able bodied poor, these were given the materials necessary and worked in a House of Industry.