Can anyone explain what is meant by the Poor Rate. Birmingham rate books I am looking at for early 1900s mention the Poor Rate for the rating district. The gross rate is about £12 10s for properties in the street in Aston I am looking at. I understand that the Poor Rate has its origins in the Poor Law, a sometimes controversial mechanism to provide poverty relief. I am confused however on how this relates to rates paid by the occupier. Was my ancestor the beneficiary of poor relief as an occupier or is this gross rate the Poor Rate paid by the property owner to the authorities under Poor Law arrangements?