English / Cymraeg
Campaign success! The Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, Robert Jenrick MP, has told the House of Commons that the Vagrancy Act should be “consigned to history”. Read our blog post
About the campaign
Homelessness should not be a crime. But the Vagrancy Act, which goes back to 1824, makes it a crime just to sleep rough or beg in England and Wales. Crisis, Cymorth Cymru, Homeless Link, Shelter Cymru, St Mungo’s, the Wallich and all the #ScraptheAct campaign supporters are calling for the Vagrancy Act be scrapped.
The Vagrancy Act does nothing to resolve the root causes of homelessness. In fact, it’s more likely to push someone further from the vital services that help them to move away from the streets. Download the campaign briefing.
We know that the Government is considering what to do with the Vagrancy Act, but hasn’t said that they will repeal it – yet. Until they do, vulnerable people will continue to be pushed even further from support.
That’s why we’re calling on the UK Government to #ScraptheAct once and for all.
'Since coming to Blackpool I’ve now had thirteen charges under the Vagrancy Act, and I’ve also be...
'Is it really in the public interest to convict people who have the misfortune of being on the st...
'I was first arrested for the Vagrancy Act in 2008. I just asked someone for 20p so I could use t...
'They should be helping people before they get to the street rather than criminalising them once...
"The Vagrancy Act didn’t help me at all. I was already on the streets, and then they fined me. Yo...