Repeal of “archaic” 200-year-old law sees end to criminalisation of rough sleeping

The 1824 Act – introduced in response to rising homelessness following the Napoleonic Wars and the Industrial Revolution – was criticised for making it harder for people to access the help they require.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said: “Repealing the Act is a vital step in ending a system that has failed to address the causes of rough sleeping and in shifting the focus towards prevention, support and long-term solutions.”

It added that repeal of the legislation was part of the National Plan to End Homelessness, a £3.6bn programme that aims to half long-term rough sleeping within three years.

Housing Secretary Steve Reed said: “Homeless people are not criminals, they are people who need help.

“For this reason, the repeal of the Vagrancy Act marks the start of treating homeless people appropriately.”

Repeal of the 1824 Act has been welcomed by homelessness charities.

Matt Downie, Chief Executive of Crisis, said: “This is a watershed moment which marks the end of a deeply cruel policy of criminalising people because they are homeless.   

“For more than 200 years, the Vagrancy Act has punished people who have been forced to sleep on the streets. This has pushed people in already vulnerable situations away from support services and into the shadows for fear of being penalised. Now, after decades of charities campaigning alongside politicians, law enforcement and people with lived experience of homelessness, we can come together to celebrate the end of this archaic law.”

St Mungo’s CEO Emma Haddad said: “The repeal of the Vagrancy Act marks a defining moment in how society views and responds to people experiencing homelessness. For too long, the Act has criminalised people with nowhere safe to call home and reinforced stigma, rather than putting the focus on rebuilding lives.”

Freya Williams