Government to repeal Vagrancy Act as rough sleeping and begging law ends after 200 years
The government has confirmed that the Vagrancy Act will be repealed on Monday 29 June, ending legislation that has been in force since 1824 and has long been criticised for criminalising rough sleeping and begging.
Ministers say repealing the law marks a move away from treating homelessness through the criminal justice system and towards prevention, housing and long-term support. The change forms part of the government’s National Plan to End Homelessness, backed by £3.6 billion over the next three years. The plan aims to halve long-term rough sleeping and end the unlawful use of bed and breakfast accommodation for families before the end of the current Parliament.
The Vagrancy Act was introduced in 1824 following the Napoleonic Wars and the Industrial Revolution, when homelessness was rising across the country. Although it has been used far less frequently in recent years, the government says it has still been used in some cases to move people on rather than address the causes of homelessness.
Alongside the repeal, ministers highlighted a £159 million grant for supported housing, which is helping more than 2,500 people across England move off the streets or avoid rough sleeping altogether. The National Plan also sets targets to halve the number of people becoming homeless on their first night after leaving prison and to ensure eligible patients are not discharged from hospital onto the streets.
The government says wider housing measures will also support its homelessness strategy, including £39 billion of investment over the next decade to deliver social and affordable housing. According to ministers, social and affordable housing starts have increased by 35% since 2024, with completions also rising this year.
Following the recent spell of record temperatures, the public is being encouraged to use the StreetLink alert system to notify local authorities if they see someone sleeping rough who may need support.
While the Vagrancy Act is being repealed, ministers say existing powers under the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 remain available to deal with behaviour that causes harassment or distress, while new offences under the Crime and Policing Act 2026 will target organised begging gangs, people who exploit others for financial gain and trespass linked to criminal activity.
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