What change did the Civil List Act make to the British monarchy’s finances?

The Civil List Act, with which Edmund Burke was specifically connected, was a legislative measure aimed at curbing the crown's influence by regulating royal patronage and expenditure.1

During the 18th century, the British monarch—particularly George III—had utilized the Civil List as a political tool, using fixed sums to reward supporters in Parliament through secret pensions and bribes. When the Rockingham Whigs took office in 1782, they sought to reduce this influence by passing bills that curtailed these practices. The act associated with Burke helped regulate the Civil List—the funds voted by Parliament for the sovereign's personal and household expenses—by reducing pensions and the emoluments of various offices. These reforms were part of a broader effort to establish parliamentary control over royal spending and limit the monarch's ability to use public funds for political favoritism.21