In England, Overseers of the Poor administered poor relief such as money, food and clothing as part of the Poor Law system. The position was created by the Act for the Relief of the Poor 1597, under Queen Elizabeth I.

Overseers of the poor were often reluctant appointees who were unpaid, working under the supervision of a justice of the peace. The law required two overseers to be elected every Easter, and churchwardens or landowners were often selected.

Overseers had various duties, including:
Estimating how much poor relief money was needed in order to set the poor rate accordingly
Collecting the poor rate
Distributig poor relief
Assisting in the resettlement of persons decreed to have unlawfully settled in the wrong parish

The overseers were legally responsible for keeping the accounts of all the money collected in the poor rate from each household (except the poorest who were exempt) and the outgoings in the form of relief (weekly allowances, clothing, fuel, short term sick cover, etc.) The rate was usually collected twice a year and the books were checked by the JPs and supposed to balance before handing them over to the next overseers. They frequently had ‘uncollected’ entries often where properties were empty. The rate was set every year and the properties were occasionally re-valued. The ratepayers could appeal and occasionally (certainly in the towns) the disputes were dealt with at Quarter Sessions.
Maggie Vaughan Lewis

The Poor Law Amendment Act 1834 known widely as the New Poor Law, was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom passed by the Whig government of Earl Grey. It completely replaced earlier legislation based on the Poor Law of 1601 and attempted to fundamentally change the poverty relief system in England and Wales. 
Wikipedia

It was believed the new law would -
a) reduce the cost of looking after the poor
b) take beggars off the streets
c) encourage poor people to work hard to support themselves

Administration of poor relief was transferred from the parish to the Poor Law Union but collection of the parish Poor Rate continued to be carried out by the Overseers. Their administrative duties also included assisting with poor relief, education and health, jury service lists, maintenance of the graveyard etc.

The new Poor Law ensured that the poor were housed in workhouses, clothed and fed. Children who entered the workhouse would receive some schooling. In return for this care, all workhouse paupers would have to work for several hours each day.
Erpingham Union workhouse (aka Beckham Palace) was erected in 1848-51 at a cost of £7,386 to hold 539 inmates.

Notice of temporary suspension of removal of John Ward, his wife Susan and their eight children
from Gt Bromley due to Susan's illness - 13th October 1819
Followed by a notice for the order for their removal to be enacted due to Susan's recovery - 29th November 1819