Before the welfare state as we know it. The poor of the parish no matter what the circumstance, had a very harsh existence. And in some places to this day, being poor or needy sometimes carries the stigma of the situation being the person's own fault.
Prior to the reign of Elizabeth I, the poor and needy would have had to beg or rely on the charity of their friends and neighbours for survival. There could be any number of reasons that could lead to a person or family being reliant on the charity of the parish, and possibly end up on relief or in the local Workhouse.
Often brought about by events over which they had no control, such as being physically or mentally unable to work. Or the older generations who had become infirm or senile etc and were unable to care or provide for themselves. There are also many instances of individuals recorded in workhouse and pauper records as being blind, lunatic or idiot etc.

It was thought that the poor were idle and would do almost anything other than look for employment. The ratepayers seemed not to consider the fact that employment was increasingly difficult to find and that wages were too low for subsistence.

In rural areas, where agriculture was the main occupation, work would have been very low paid and seasonal. A bad crop year or an epidemic would be devastating to the livelihood of farmer and worker alike.
Many Agricultural Labourer's and indeed farmers have been forced onto charity relief or the workhouse.
Until the coming of the railways in the mid 1800's, which brought other work possibilities to rural areas and also a means of being able to travel and migrate to work in other industries etc. Most men would have been employed on the land. Most of the girls would have become domestic servants, working in the households of local farms, estates, landowners and businesses etc. Many of these young and not so young girls might become unmarried mothers which was a serious offence against the one sided moral code of the times and was regarded as bringing shame onto the family. (It was not unknown for a member of the local gentry, squire or even a vicar to father children by their housekeeper).
This would quite often mean the poor girl or woman was banished from her family and sent away to where she was not known and could perhaps pretend to be a widow. Or she could easily be turned out into the street and possibly end up in the workhouse. There are many instances recorded of single women giving birth in the workhouse.