The UK Government has confirmed that it will fully repeal the Vagrancy Act 1824 by Spring 2026, ensuring sleeping rough can no longer be considered a criminal offence.
The Wallich has for many years supported the campaign led by Crisis, to scrap the Vagrancy Act, so we are delighted to hear that this antiquated law will finally be repealed.
Repealing the Vagrancy Act was first announced in 2022, but the Conservative Government at the time did not formally confirm when it would be removed from law.
The UK Labour Government has now ‘committed to complete the repeal within one year, by Spring 2026.
Although this is a welcome symbolic victory, Police forces across England and Wales still have considerable powers to punish people living street-based lifestyles, primarily through the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014.
The Police still have the power to move people on if they deem them to be “harassing” members of the public. This, as we know, is largely up to interpretation, citing reasons such as “aggressive begging”, which is hard to define.
Local authorities also have the power to create Public Space Protection Orders (PSPOs), which can prohibit begging or rough sleeping within a specified area, such as town centres.
At The Wallich, we believe this approach is counterproductive, as it can create barriers to accessing appropriate services.
The latest official statistics for Wales report 130 people sleeping rough, as of March 2025, and in areas with limited outreach services, this may be an underestimate.
We welcome the end of Vagrancy Act, but we will continue to campaign for an end to the criminalisation and stigmatisation of people experiencing homelessness.