Rough Sleeping to Be Decriminalised: What Is the Vagrancy Act?

Rough sleeping to be decriminalised: what is the Vagrancy Act?

Diana Vucane/ShutterstockThe Labour government has announced plans to scrap the laws associated with criminalising homelessness from spring 2026. This comes in the form of repealing the Vagrancy Act, which has made rough sleeping and begging illegal in England and Wales for 200 years. Rough sleeping has increased 164% from when monitoring began in 2010. While repealing the act won’t end rough sleeping, decriminalisation is an important step to m…

Tragic homeless crisis gripping UK city as rough sleepers fend off addicts

HUDDLED outside a luxury department store, a homeless man puffs on a suspicious-looking cigarette while young families hurry past.It's an increasingly

Criminalisation of Rough Sleeping to End with Vagrancy Act Repeal

After over 200 years, the Government has confirmed the repeal of the Vagrancy Act 1824. The decision marks a significant step toward ending the criminalisation of rough sleeping and addressing homelessness through reform, not punishment.