Today, the Vagrancy Act has officially been repealed. This is an important part of an ambitious legislative package that aims to protect society’s most vulnerable rather than penalise them.
The Vagrancy Act, which was introduced in 1824, was an outdated piece of legislation that criminalised rough sleeping. Its repeal offers new protections for people affected by homelessness in England and Wales because it prevents them from being fined or imprisoned for sleeping rough or begging.
The factors that have been driving the steady rise in homelessness over the past decade will not be addressed by the repeal of this Act alone, but it promotes a more compassionate approach towards helping homelessness, which is a positive change and something St Mungo’s gladly welcomes.
Emma Haddad, Chief Executive of St Mungo’s, 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.
Our Outreach teams see every day how people can fall into homelessness when housing and support aren’t in place. When people are sleeping on a pavement, we know that the last thing they want or need is to be arrested. This makes it that much harder for people to access support – either because they have been pushed away from it or they choose not to access it due to distrust.
This change marks an important shift towards a more humane approach – one that focuses on support, tackles root causes, and helps prevent homelessness. Effective delivery of the Government’s recently published National Plan to End Homelessness will hinge on doing exactly that.”
