济贫在英国有着久远的传统，从17世纪开始，济贫院在英国逐步发展起来，1834年后，院内救济成为新济贫法体系的核心。
There exists a long tradition of the poor relief in Britain . The seventeenth century witnessed the gradual evolution of the workhouse . After 1834 , indoor relief had become the center of the New Poor Law system .
新济贫法