Homes for Cathy partner Crisis – alongside the Chartered Institute of Housing, National Housing Federation, Shelter and many more groups working to end homelessness – is urging members to lend their support to a campaign to stop the Government’s plans to criminalise sleeping on the streets being introduced through the Criminal Justice Bill.

In February last year, both Houses of Parliament supported the repeal of the Vagrancy Act via an amendment to the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill in a landmark rejection of the outdated laws that criminalise sleeping rough. However, no commencement date was included so the Vagrancy Act technically remains in force.

The Criminal Justice Bill replicates the worst parts of the Vagrancy Act. If passed, it would mean people who are homeless in England and Wales could face fines or even prison for so-called ‘nuisance rough sleeping’ and ‘nuisance begging’. Planned measures include moving people on, imprisoning them and fining them up to £2,500.

This not only reneges on the UK Government’s repeal of the Vagrancy Act but risks breaking down trust in services and pushing people further into destitution and exploitation, undermining the Government’s own efforts to end rough sleeping.

Homes for Cathy chair, David Bogle, commented:

“Many of our members run accommodation and support services for rough sleepers and work extremely hard to build trust and deliver interventions to help people move on to a more stable and secure future. We know that criminalisation of rough sleeping is not the answer.”

Before the Bill returns to Parliament for the upcoming Report Stage, Homes for Cathy members can join the collective call to support amendments that will put a stop to the plans by writing to their local MP.

A template MP letter is available to download here, and more background detail on the Bill and proposed amendments can be found here. Homes for Cathy members who write to their local MP are invited to add the details here.