This rate shows what percentage of all those getting relief from the Poor Law received "outdoor" relief, meaning payments in cash and kind, rather than residential "indoor" relief in workhouses. From the 1830s onwards central government tried to reduce numbers on outdoor relief but this had only limited effectiveness, and most people in workhouses were there because of old age, sickness or as orphans. Note that a small number of paupers received both types of relief but are excluded from this percentage.