Statute of Labourers 1351
| Act of Parliament | |
| Citation | 25 Edw. 3. Stat. 2 |
|---|---|
| Territorial extent | |
| Dates | |
| Commencement | 9 February 1351 |
| Repealed | 10 August 1872 |
| Other legislation | |
| Amended by | Statute Law Revision Act 1863 |
| Repealed by | Statute Law (Ireland) Revision Act 1872 |
| Relates to |
|
Status: Repealed | |
| Text of statute as originally enacted | |
The Statute of Labourers (25 Edw. 3. Stat. 2) was an act of the Parliament of England under King Edward III in 1351 in response to a labour shortage, which aimed at regulating the labour force by prohibiting requesting or offering a wage higher than pre-Plague standards and limiting movement in search of better conditions. The popular narrative about its success and enforcement holds that it was poorly enforced and did not stop the rise in real wages. However, immediately after the Black Death, real wages did not rise, despite the labour shortage.