The repeal of the Vagrancy Act 1824, effective 29 June 2026, removes the legal basis for prosecuting individuals for sleeping rough or begging. The law, originally enacted in 1824, was introduced in response to rising homelessness following the industrial revolution and the return of soldiers from the Napoleonic wars. Its repeal was first announced by the Conservative administration in 2022 and formally enacted by the current government. The move follows a decline in prosecutions, with 2,760 recorded in 2010 and 384 in 2023, according to Ministry of Justice data.
The government stated that decriminalising rough sleeping will shift focus towards addressing root causes of homelessness, including through a £3.6bn national plan to end homelessness over three years. The plan includes halving long-term rough sleeping and ending the unlawful use of B&Bs for families by the end of parliament. The government confirmed that the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 will be used to address issues such as organised begging gangs, trespass, and anti-social behaviour previously covered under the Vagrancy Act.
The Social Housing Bill, pending parliamentary approval, aims to prevent homelessness by strengthening protections for victims of domestic abuse. Research from the Rough Sleeping Questionnaire 2025 indicates that 70% of women who slept rough in the past year had experienced domestic abuse since age 16. The government said the repeal is part of a broader strategy to support people experiencing homelessness through prevention, long-term solutions, and access to services.