It is that time of year again. The nights are drawing in and the temperatures are dropping. And while most people are starting to look forward to the holiday season, many of the hundreds of thousands of people experiencing homelessness in the UK will be worrying about surviving a harsh winter. And for those sleeping rough in England and Wales, there remains an added threat: the fear of being arrested.
In February, following campaigning by Crisis and many other charities, the UK government officially announced its intention to repeal the 1824 Vagrancy Act, which gives police the power to arrest people simply for sleeping rough. But the government made no mention of the act in the Queen’s speech and has not committed itself to a timetable for repeal. It now seems likely that the act will remain in force throughout 2021 and into next year.
What’s more, campaigners are concerned that when repeal finally comes, the act will be replaced by something just as bad. Some fear that the government may move to strip the agency and humanity from those experiencing homelessness – essentially creating a system in which those without a home no longer have a right to bodily autonomy.
