Slave Compensation Act 1837
| Act of Parliament | |
| Long title | An Act to carry into further Execution the Provisions of an Act for completing the full Payment of Compensation to Owners of Slaves upon the Abolition of Slavery. |
|---|---|
| Citation | 1 & 2 Vict. c. 3 |
| Territorial extent | United Kingdom |
| Dates | |
| Royal assent | 23 December 1837 |
| Commencement | 23 December 1837 |
| Repealed | 7 August 1874 |
| Other legislation | |
| Repealed by | Statute Law Revision Act 1874 (No. 2) |
| Relates to |
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Status: Repealed | |
| Text of statute as originally enacted | |
The Slave Compensation Act 1837 (1 & 2 Vict. c. 3) was an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, signed into law on 23 December 1837.
Together with the Slavery Abolition Act 1833 (3 & 4 Will. 4. c. 73), it authorized the Commissioners for the Reduction of the National Debt to compensate slave owners in the British colonies in the amount of approximately £20 million for the freeing of slaves. Based on a government census of 1 August 1834, more than 40,000 awards to slave owners were issued. Since some of the payments were converted into 3.5% government annuities, they lasted until 2015. Most were sold and the money sent abroad for investment.