The government plans to repeal the 200-year-old Vagrancy Act next year, effectively decriminalizing rough sleeping in England and Wales.
The Act, enacted in 1824 to address rising homelessness, has been criticized as “cruel and outdated” by Deputy Prime Minister and Housing Secretary, Angela Rayner.
The proposed replacement legislation will focus on tackling organized begging and trespassing, addressing concerns about community safety.
Rayner stated that Labour aims to end “nearly two centuries of injustice” towards vulnerable individuals, emphasizing that no one should be criminalized solely for sleeping rough.
Prosecutions under the 1824 Act have significantly decreased in recent years, dropping from 1,050 in 2011 to 79 in 2023.
While the previous Conservative government initially proposed repealing the Act in 2022 alongside alternative legislation, this was not enacted before the general election.
The Conservative’s Criminal Justice Bill, which aimed to grant police more power to address “nuisance” rough sleepers, was not passed.
The Labour government intends to introduce “targeted measures” via amendments to the Crime and Policing Bill, creating new offences for facilitating begging for gain and trespassing with criminal intent.
Homeless charities, such as Crisis, have long advocated for the Act’s repeal, celebrating this move as a landmark achievement that will prevent vulnerable individuals from being further marginalized.
Crisis chief executive Matt Downie praised the government’s “principled leadership,” expressing hope for a more supportive approach to helping those experiencing homelessness.
Sign up for our Politics Essential newsletter to keep up with the inner workings of Westminster and beyond.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves has delivered her Spending Review, outlining budgets for government departments.
The chancellor’s priorities, focusing on the NHS and defense, will lead to spending constraints in other areas.
Reeves’ spending review will significantly impact the Welsh government’s budget.
Some Labour MPs are using this opportunity to reiterate their calls for reversing planned benefit cuts.
William Booth House in Hull has remained largely vacant since its decommissioning in 2023.