Labour announce official change of 200-year-old law
The Labour Government has announced the change of one law, officially taking effect as of today. The Act, which is a 200-year-old law, has now been repealed.
The Vagrancy Act, originally introduced in 1824, criminalised rough sleeping and begging in the UK. Now, the UK Government has officially repealed it as a “vital step in ending a system that has failed to address the causes of rough sleeping and in shifting the focus towards prevention, support and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”, as stated on the Government website. This comes as part of the National Plan to End Homelessness.
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The Act previously punished those who did not having housing. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government wrote: “As a result, it has pushed vulnerable people away from support, increased the risk of fines or criminal records and made it harder for people to rebuild their lives.”
The National Plan to End Homelessness, which has been backed by £3.6 billion over the next three years, aims to halve long-term rough sleeping and end the unlawful use of B&B accommodation for families by the end of the Parliament.
The UK Government will also invest £39 billion in social and affordable housing over the next 10 years. They have also requested that Brits use the Streetlink alert system to notify their local authority of anyone who is rough sleeping and in need of support amid recent rising temperatures.
Housing Secretary, Steve Reed, said: “Homeless people are not criminals, they are people who need help. By repealing the outdated Vagrancy Act, we are shifting from punishment to prevention, alongside our investment to tackle homelessness for good.”
Homelessness Minister, Alison McGovern, added to this: “Repealing the Vagrancy Act is a long-overdue step that reflects a modern understanding of homelessness.”
She explained that the UK Government are now “turning [their] backs on a centuries old approach”, instead helping people to “rebuild their lives”.
She concluded: “Our Plan to End Homelessness will drive that change, helping more people off the streets and into the security of a permanent home.”
Crisis is a national charity for people experiencing homelessness. Their Chief Executive, Matt Downie, said this change in legislation “marks the end of a deeply cruel policy of criminalising people because they are homeless.”
He added: “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.”
The Chief Executive commended the UK Government for the repeal, concluding that they “hope this sends a powerful message about the kind of society we want: one where people experiencing homelessness are not persecuted but supported to rebuild their lives and fulfil their potential.”