Lunacy Act 1890

Lunacy Act 1890
Act of Parliament
Long titleAn Act to consolidate certain of the Enactments respecting Lunatics.
Citation53 & 54 Vict. c. 5
Introduced byHardinge Giffard, 1st Earl of Halsbury (Lords)
Territorial extent 
Dates
Royal assent29 March 1890
Commencement1 May 1890
Repealed
  • 1 November 1960
  • 30 September 1984
Other legislation
AmendsSee § Repealed enactments
Repeals/revokesSee § Repealed enactments
Repealed by
Status: Repealed
History of passage through Parliament
Records of Parliamentary debate relating to the statute from Hansard
Text of statute as originally enacted

The Lunacy Act 1890 (53 & 54 Vict. c. 5) was an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that formed the basis of mental health law in England and Wales from 1890 until 1959.

The act placed an obligation on local authorities to maintain institutions for the mentally ill.