US EditionRough sleeping to be decriminalised in England and Wales
- Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner announced the government will scrap the 200-year-old Vagrancy Act in England and Wales by next spring.
- The act, introduced in 1824 to criminalise rough sleeping and begging amid post-Industrial Revolution homelessness, has long faced criticism for persecuting poverty.
- Labour is backing this repeal with a £233 million funding boost this financial year to address root causes of homelessness rather than punish rough sleepers.
- Angela Rayner described the decision as marking the end of almost 200 years of unfair treatment of some of society’s most vulnerable people, while Crisis hailed it as a historic step forward.
- The repeal marks a historic change, ensuring that sleeping on the streets is no longer treated as a criminal offense and emphasizing compassion and support for vulnerable individuals instead of punishment.
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Oxford MailReposted by 
thisisoxfordshire.co.uk
thisisoxfordshire.co.ukOxford MP celebrates victory for campaign to repeal the Vagrancy Act
An Oxford MP has welcomed the news that the government will abolish the Vagrancy Act of 1824.
·Oxford, United Kingdom
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'Repeal alone isn't enough!': Ex-Labour adviser who faced homelessness calls for major housing reform
A former Labour adviser who experienced homelessness has welcomed the Government's decision to repeal the 200-year-old Vagrancy Act but warned that decriminalisation alone will not solve the housing crisis.Matthew Torbitt, who spent time sleeping rough, said the move to scrap the 1824 law was "a positive step" but insisted broader reforms were essential to tackle homelessness effectively."I think if you criminalise homelessness, it doesn't solve…
·London, United Kingdom
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Leaning Left4Leaning Right2Center6Last UpdatedBias Distribution50% Center
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