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More than two-thirds of people say arresting rough sleepers is a waste of time, police figures reveal

More than 70% of the public think that arresting people for sleeping rough is a waste of police time, according to a survey released alongside data showing the number of arrests made under a law criminalising rough sleeping.

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Data shows 8,500 arrests have been made under the Vagrancy Act in the past five years #ukhousing

“It should be a source of national shame that people in our society continue to be criminalised for being homeless,” says @jon_sparkes #ukhousing

A Deltapoll survey of more than 3,000 people, commissioned by national homelessness charity Crisis, found that 71% of the public think that arresting people for sleeping rough is a waste of time, while 52% said rough sleeping should not be considered a criminal offence.

The survey has been released alongside data, obtained via a Freedom of Information (FOI) request, which reveals that 8,500 arrests have been made under the Vagrancy Act in the past five years.

Introduced in 1824, the Vagrancy Act makes rough sleeping and begging illegal in England and Wales. The acr was originally introduced to make it easier for the police to clear the streets of destitute soldiers following the Napoleonic wars.


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The government is currently conducting a review into the Vagrancy Act, but Crisis is calling for the law to be repealed immediately.

According to the Deltapoll survey, 73% of respondents agree that criminalising people through the Vagrancy Act will not end their homelessness.

Jon Sparkes, chief executive of Crisis, said: “It should be a source of national shame that people in our society continue to be criminalised for being homeless.

“This is not how we treat people, and it’s clear that the public would like to see it stopped for good.

“Of course police and councils must be able to respond to the concerns of residents in cases of genuine anti-social activity, but using a cruel and outdated law is not the answer, especially when all it does is further dehumanise people who desperately need support.

“What we need to do is treat people with dignity and respect. The government is currently reviewing the Vagrancy Act as part of its Rough Sleeping Strategy, but it must go further and scrap this antiquated law once and for all.”

A spokesperson for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said: “The government is clear that no one should be criminalised simply for having nowhere to live, and we are committed to reviewing the Vagrancy Act.

“It is unacceptable that anyone should have to face sleeping on the streets in modern Britain. This does not reflect the country we should be and why we have committed to ending rough sleeping by the end of this parliament.”

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