- Housing Secretary told House of Commons on 25th February that
Vagrancy Act should be repealed.
- Six months on, Crisis and MPs from across parties urge the UK
government to scrap the act.
Cross-party MPs and national homelessness charity Crisis are
today urging the UK government to scrap the law that criminalises
rough sleeping, six months after Housing Secretary said it should be “consigned to
history”.
Already repealed in Scotland, the 19th century Vagrancy Act is
still continually used across England and Wales to criminalise
people for rough sleeping or begging. Anyone prosecuted under the
act faces a fine of up to £1000 and a criminal record.
Repeal of the Act was not included in the Queens Speech in May,
despite support from across parties and from , who told the House of Commons in February that the
act was “antiquated legislation, whose time has been and gone”.
Latest criminal justice statistics show that 10 people a week are
prosecuted under the Victorian law.
Jon Sparkes, chief executive of Crisis, said:
“We all agree that the cruel, unnecessary Vagrancy Act should be
scrapped but it’s still being used week in, week out with
devastating consequences.
“Fining people who already have next to nothing is pointless and
just drives people further away from support, often keeping them
on the streets for longer.
“We were encouraged by Robert Jenrick’s support for repeal back
in February but are disappointed that the act remains six months
on, despite a cross-party commitment to support the UK government
in repealing it. It is time to consign this offensive and
counterproductive law to history.”
Crisis campaigner Dayne Dougan was constantly threatened
with the Vagrancy Act when he was homeless. He said: “I
was homeless from the age of about 15 to 24. Every day I would
get moved on and told you need to leave this area, you need to go
away. The Vagrancy Act made the police the enemy, rather than a
source of help or protection. Telling people to leave town
centres doesn’t make the problem go away, it just makes it worse.
We can get rid of this outdated law now and make the lives of
homeless people just a tiny bit better.”
, MP for the Cities of London and Westminster,
said: “The Vagrancy Act is simply not fit for purpose.
Criminalising rough sleepers only entrenches them further into an
already dire situation, the far superior option is to address why
they are on the street in the first place.
“The Government seems to agree and I was grateful to receive
confirmation in the House of Commons in February from , that in his view the Act should be ‘consigned to
history’. The next step is working towards a timeframe for repeal
and replacement.
“We should replace our current approach with a new vision that
places the preservation of life at its core through assertive
outreach, alongside health care and specialist support services,
particularly to address mental health and addiction issues, all
attached to accommodation.”
, Shadow
Minister for Housing and Weaver Vale MP said: “The
Vagrancy Act is an outdated piece of legislation, which
criminalises people who have lost their home. Stable and secure
housing underpins opportunities, saving lives and livelihoods.
It’s in everyone’s interests that Ministers focus on ending
homelessness through support, prevention and stronger legislation
to protect renters.
“After a decade in office, the Conservatives have failed on rough
sleeping with twice as many rough sleepers before the pandemic
than in 2010, with almost 1000 people dying last year on the
streets. The pandemic offers the chance to build a better future
for all, but the government are squandering this, as their words
fail to match delivery.”
, Oxford
West and Abingdon MP said: “Being homeless should not be
a crime. We should be caring for people who end up on the
streets, not fining them and locking them up.
“Now more than ever, we need a compassionate approach to
homelessness, and that must include scrapping the Vagrancy Act.
It is a cruel, Dickensian law that criminalises people just for
sleeping rough.
“Robert Jenrick admitted six months ago that the Act needs to go.
Now he must finally match his words with action.”
-Ends-
Notes to Editors
In 2020 there were 573 Vagrancy Act prosecutions in England and
Wales, according to Criminal justice system
statistics quarterly: December 2020.
