Repeal The Vagrancy Act 1824

Closed 541 signatures

What the petition asks

The Vagrancy Act 1824 makes it an offence to sleep rough or beg. This is an archaic law. It criminalises the very existence of those who are amongst society’s most vulnerable citizens; those who are homeless and forced to take to the streets and beg for survival. It must be repealed.

The system should not punish people who have fallen on hard times; the government should support such individuals to ensure that they can once again, become functioning members of society. The Act actually makes things even more difficult for those sleeping rough or begging for money; imprisonment automatically rules out a number of future jobs. This merely exacerbates their plight, continuing an ever-downward spiral.

The current COVID-19 pandemic is only likely to exacerbate the situation.

Timeline

22 Oct 2020	Petition opened for signatures
22 Apr 2021	Closed to new signatures

Key facts

Signatures 541

Status Closed

Department Ministry of Justice

Opened 22 Oct 2020

Closed 22 Apr 2021

Follow this petition