Repealing the Vagrancy Act

The Vagrancy Act is finally set to be scrapped in 2026 after making rough sleeping a criminal offence for more than 200 years.

Since 1824, the Vagrancy Act has made it a crime just to sleep rough or beg in England and Wales.

Criminalisation does not resolve the root causes of homelessness. By imposing fine and threatening prosecution it is more likely to push someone further away from the vital services that help them to move away from the streets and towards security and independence.

According to government statistics, there were a total of 79 prosecutions and 59 convictions for offences related to rough sleeping in 2023.

The Vagrancy Act was introduced in 1824 to deal with rising homelessness which increased after the Napoleonic Wars and Industrial Revolution.

Zoe Conn, Fundraising and Development Manager at Julian House spoke on Radio Solent about the repeal of the Vagrancy Act.

"It's long overdue and it's definitely time for us to star thinking about how we can support people who are rough sleeping in this dangerous position rather than persecuting them.

At Julian House and in other homelessness charities we support the whole person and try and give them the support needed to tackle all those complex needs to become more independent and sustainable lifestyle."