MOVES to decriminalise rough sleeping cannot come soon enough, Lichfield’s MP has said.
The Government has confirmed it intends to formally scrap the Vagrancy Act after more than 200 years.
Introduced in 1824, the legislation was designed to deal with rising homelessness which increased after the Napoleonic Wars and Industrial Revolution.
While use of the act against rough sleeping has significantly declined over the years, it remains enforceable in law.
But the Government says it will be repealing the act – and hopes it will cease to be law early next year.
Lichfield MP Dave Robertson said the move was a welcome one:
“The idea that someone should be prosecuted for not having somewhere safe and warm to live is an idea that should have been consigned to the dustbin years ago.
“It’s high time that the Government takes steps to remove this 200-year-old law from the statute book.
“The Britain I believe in doesn’t prosecute people for being in a difficult situation, it supports rough sleepers back into safe, secure homes so they can get their lives back on track.”
The Government said the legislation would see “new targeted measures” to ensure police have the powers they need to keep communities safe.
The move comes as efforts take place to develop a new homelessness strategy across the country.
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner said:
“We are drawing a line under nearly two centuries of injustice towards some of the most vulnerable in society who deserve dignity and support.
“No one should ever be criminalised simply for sleeping rough and by scrapping this cruel and outdated law, we are making sure that can never happen again.”
