The call from charities to abolish the Vagrancy Act has been loud and clear for decades - going as far back as the 1980s. Despite being ‘repealed’ in 2022, the legislation is still very much in place - leaving people who are sleeping rough vulnerable to arrests, criminal records, and large fines.
For what? For trying to find a safe place to sleep away from violence and assaults.
1000 days on from this repeal, where are we now? Are we any closer to scrapping this outdated and, quite frankly, inhumane law?
What is the Vagrancy Act?
If you haven’t heard of the Vagrancy Act, it’s probably because it was first put in place in the 1800s. To quote the original wording, the act is to “punish idle and disorderly Persons, and Rogues and Vagabonds, in England.”
That really tells you all you need to know.
Originally, the Act came about because the government and police needed a way to remove destitute soldiers from the streets. Having come back from serving their country, many were penniless, injured and homeless. Rather than trying to help or support the veterans (at that time, little was known about conditions like PTSD), it was easier to criminalise their homelessness and take them from the streets and into prison.
The fact that the legislation still lives and breathes tells us we haven’t learnt much about tackling the vicious cycle of homelessness since then.
Why criminalising homelessness will never work
The problem with criminalisation is that it’s ultimately a short-term solution - it doesn’t address the reasons why someone may be experiencing homelessness.
Whether it’s because of mental health difficulties, addiction, family or financial breakdown, arrests and fines do nothing but drive someone further away from the help they need. In some cases, it causes a complete breakdown of trust between an individual and other outreach services.
Having been demonised by authorities, it’s easy to see why many people facing homelessness develop a real mistrust of anyone claiming to want to help them.
What happens now?
It’s a new year and a new government. So, what has this government got in store for the Vagrancy Act?
Labour has already boosted funding for homelessness services and made promises for the delivery of social homes. Importantly, they’re also introducing a cross-government plan to actually tackle the root of homelessness - something that the Vagrancy Act fails to take into account.
While this is all positive news for the future, it doesn’t help the increasing number of people vulnerable to arrest in the here and now due to the Vagrancy Act. Until we can look at more preventative measures, the number of people facing homelessness isn’t going to drop.
Simon on the Streets is just one of many homelessness charities fighting to see the Vagrancy Act gone once and for all. It wasn’t fit for those veterans in the 1800s and certainly isn’t fit for purpose in our modern society now.
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