 They were routinely awarded to the servants and household staff of royalty, and as a form of charity for the aged, sick, feeble or those in poverty, but could also be purchased with donations of money or land.The corrody is one of the earliest forms of insurance, as it provided security in sustenance and lodging in a time when social welfare was scarce.Academic estimates of the annual value of the food allowance (alone), are around £3 per year.