<P> The abuses and shortcomings of the system are documented in the novels of Charles Dickens and Frances Trollope and later in People of the Abyss (1) by Jack London . Despite the aspirations of the reformers, the New Poor Law was unable to make the Workhouse as bad as life outside . The primary problem was that in order to make the diet of the Workhouse inmates "less eligible" than what they could expect outside, it would be necessary to starve the inmates beyond an acceptable level . It was for this reason that other ways were found to deter entrance to the Workhouses . These measures ranged from the introduction of prison style uniforms to the segregation of' inmates' into yards--there were normally male, female, boys' and girls' yards . </P> <P> In 1846, the Andover workhouse scandal, where conditions in the Andover Union Workhouse were found to be inhumane and dangerous, prompted a government review and the abolition of the Poor Law Commission which was replaced with a Poor Law Board which meant that a Committee of Parliament was to administer the Poor Law, with a cabinet minister as head . Despite this another scandal occurred over inhumane treatment of paupers in the Huddersfield workhouse . </P> <P> After 1847 the Poor Law Commission was replaced with a Poor Law Board . This was because of the Andover workhouse scandal and the criticism of Henry Parker who was responsible for the Andover union as well as the tensions in Somerset House caused by Chadwick's failure to become a Poor Law Commissioner . The Poor Law had been altered in 1834 because of increasing costs . The Workhouse Visiting Society which formed in 1858 highlighted conditions in workhouses and led to workhouses being inspected more often . The Union Chargeability Act was passed in 1865 in order to make the financial burden of pauperism be placed upon the whole unions rather than individual parishes . Most Boards of Guardians were middle class and committed to keeping Poor Rates as low as possible . After the Reform Act 1867 there was increasing welfare legislation . As this legislation required local authorities' support the Poor Law Board was replaced with a Local Government Board in 1871 . The Local Government Board led a crusade against outdoor relief supported by the Charity Organisation Society, an organization which viewed outdoor relief as destroying the self - reliance of the poor . The effect of this renewed effort to deter outdoor relief was to reduce claimants by a third and to increase numbers in the work house by 12--15% . County Councils were formed in 1888, District Councils in 1894 . This meant that public housing, unlike health and income maintenance, developed outside the scope of the Poor Law . Poor Law policy after the New Poor Law concerning the elderly, the sick and mentally ill and children became more humane . This was in part due to the expense of providing "mixed workhouses" as well as changing attitudes regarding the causes and nature of poverty . </P> <P> The Poor Law system began to decline with the availability of other forms of assistance . The growth of friendly societies provided help for its members without recourse to the Poor Law system . Some trade unions also provided help for their members . The Medical Relief Disqualification Removal Act 1885 meant that people who had accessed medical care funded by the poor rate were no longer disqualified from voting in elections . In 1886 the Chamberlain Circular encouraged the Local Government Board to set up work projects when unemployment rates were high rather than use workhouses . In 1905 the Conservatives passed the Unemployed Workman Act which provided for temporary employment for workers in times of unemployment . </P>

The whigs supported all these programs except one