vagrancy act

Rough sleeping finally decriminalised after 200 years: ‘Homeless people are not criminals’
Housing

Rough sleeping finally decriminalised after 200 years: ‘Homeless people are not criminals’

The Vagrancy Act – which has made being homeless on the streets a criminal offence since 1824 – has been repealed after years of campaigning from Big Issue and other homelessness organisations

Vagrancy Act: Labour promised to decriminalise rough sleeping in spring – so when will it happen?
Criminal justice

Vagrancy Act: Labour promised to decriminalise rough sleeping in spring – so when will it happen?

The Vagrancy Act is an archaic law that should have been repealed long ago

Inside the Big Issue: Homelessness, Survival, Resistance
Behind the scenes

Inside the Big Issue: Homelessness, Survival, Resistance

Artists like 10Foot have come together for a new exhibition at the Museum of Homelessness (MoH) in Finsbury Park.

When the Vagrancy Act is finally gone, its replacement must be driven by compassion
Steven MacKenzie

When the Vagrancy Act is finally gone, its replacement must be driven by compassion

We need a stepchange in how we deal with homelessness in 2026 so society can heal
Jess Turtle

We need a stepchange in how we deal with homelessness in 2026 so society can heal

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Are we witnessing a turning point in how we tackle homelessness?
Matt Downie

Are we witnessing a turning point in how we tackle homelessness?

Scrapping the Vagrancy Act won’t end the criminalisation of rough sleeping
Benjamin Archer

Scrapping the Vagrancy Act won’t end the criminalisation of rough sleeping

Rough sleeping to finally be decriminalised with scrapping of ‘cruel’ 200-year law
Rough sleeping

Rough sleeping to finally be decriminalised with scrapping of ‘cruel’ 200-year law

These activists are putting parking tickets on homeless tents to make an important point
Rough sleeping

These activists are putting parking tickets on homeless tents to make an important point

It’s 1,000 days since Vagrancy Act was repealed – so why are rough sleepers still criminalised?
Rough sleeping

It’s 1,000 days since Vagrancy Act was repealed – so why are rough sleepers still criminalised?

Labour must scrap controversial 200-year-old law criminalising rough sleeping: ‘We’re still waiting’
Rough sleeping

Labour must scrap controversial 200-year-old law criminalising rough sleeping: ‘We’re still waiting’

‘Shocking’: Nearly 3,000 homeless people arrested under 200-year-old Vagrancy Act since 2021
Rough sleeping

‘Shocking’: Nearly 3,000 homeless people arrested under 200-year-old Vagrancy Act since 2021

This government failed to end rough sleeping – so now they’re trying to police it out of existence
Tom Kerridge

This government failed to end rough sleeping – so now they’re trying to police it out of existence

‘People should not be arrested if they smell’: Sunak facing revolt over plan to criminalise homelessness
Homelessness

‘People should not be arrested if they smell’: Sunak facing revolt over plan to criminalise homelessness

Tory plan to criminalise rough sleepers will ‘destroy homeless people’s spirits’, MPs warned
Homelessness

Tory plan to criminalise rough sleepers will ‘destroy homeless people’s spirits’, MPs warned

The Tories vowed to end rough sleeping by 2024. They failed. So where are we now?
Paula Barker

The Tories vowed to end rough sleeping by 2024. They failed. So where are we now?

A McDonald’s security guard soaking a homeless man’s blanket exemplifies stigma rough sleepers face
Rough Sleeping

A McDonald’s security guard soaking a homeless man’s blanket exemplifies stigma rough sleepers face

Vagrancy Act 2.0? The Criminal Justice Bill must not be allowed to make rough sleeping illegal
Layla Moran

Vagrancy Act 2.0? The Criminal Justice Bill must not be allowed to make rough sleeping illegal

Has Manchester found an innovative way to tackle begging?
Homelessness

Has Manchester found an innovative way to tackle begging?

The fight is on to ensure the Vagrancy Act stays dead
Layla Moran

The fight is on to ensure the Vagrancy Act stays dead

Homeless people are being ‘disproportionately criminalised’ by anti-social behaviour laws
Rough sleeping

Homeless people are being ‘disproportionately criminalised’ by anti-social behaviour laws

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Remember all those controversial laws that were passed? Many of them just came into force
Politics

Remember all those controversial laws that were passed? Many of them just came into force

Government faces rebellion after backtracking on plans to scrap Vagrancy Act laws
Rough sleeping

Government faces rebellion after backtracking on plans to scrap Vagrancy Act laws

Police forced to scrap order that banned a homeless man from carrying a cup
Homelessness

Police forced to scrap order that banned a homeless man from carrying a cup

The government already has the perfect replacement for the Vagrancy Act – nothing at all
Homelessness

The government already has the perfect replacement for the Vagrancy Act – nothing at all