Due to opposition from around 40 Conservative MPs, the government has decided not to go ahead with proposals that would have made “nuisance begging” and the presence of “excessive” odours reasons to criminalise homelessness.
These proposals, which were part of the Criminal Justice Bill and advocated by the contentious former home secretary Suella Braverman, could have led to punishing homeless individuals for activities such as sleeping in doorways. The punishments included relocating offenders, imposing up to a £2,500 fine, or even jailing them.
However, an amendment to the Bill now requires that the police first direct those sleeping rough towards available support services, such as hostels or programs for substance abuse treatment, before considering criminal charges.
The policing minister, Chris Philp, emphasized that although no one should be punished simply for being homeless, the government will not tolerate anti-social behaviours that intimidate the public, like blocking entrances to local businesses or emergency exits.
James Cleverley, the current home secretary, has announced the government’s plan to repeal the Vagrancy Act of 1824, which outlaws rough sleeping, and replace it with newer legislation.
The Home Office clarified that the intended meaning behind “excessive” smells was in reference to garbage or human waste, making it clear that the goal is not to criminalize individuals for their inability to maintain personal hygiene.
Josie Parsons, the chief executive of housing provider Local Space, welcomed the government’s decision to abandon its plans to criminalize homelessness, stating that targeting people who are homeless by no fault of their own should never be part of any law in a just society. She underscored that criminalization is not the correct approach to addressing homelessness and stressed the urgent need for the government to tackle the fundamental causes of the issue. This includes significantly increasing the amount of social housing through large-scale new building or the acquisition of unsold market housing.
Parsons also highlighted the necessity for a significant increase in the provision of quality, stable housing for the homeless population currently waiting for permanent accommodation.
The MPs who opposed the initial plans included notable figures such as Bob Blackman, Nickie Aiken, Tracey Crouch, Selaine Saxby, Stephen Hammond, Sir Iain Duncan Smith, Jo Gideon, Caroline Nokes, Derek Thomas, John Penrose, and Damian Green.
