Petition · past parliament
Update or repeal the Vagrancy Act
Rejected
13 signatures
What the petition asks
Update the Vagrancy Act so that sleeping rough and begging is no longer illegal, or repeal it entirely.
The Vagrancy Act of 1824 makes it illegal to sleep rough and beg, therefore criminalizing the homeless. It needs to be reviewed so that sleeping rough and begging is no longer a criminal offence. This would be in line with policies in Scotland and Ireland and offer better treatment for the homeless.
Why it was rejected
There was already a petition about this issue. Duplicates are rejected so signatures collect in one place.
Timeline
| 17 Mar 2021 | Petition opened for signatures |
| 24 Mar 2021 | Rejected by the Petitions Committee |
Key facts
Signatures
13
Status
Rejected
Rejected
24 Mar 2021
Follow this petition
Sign in to get an email when the government responds, a debate is scheduled or held, or the petition closes.
Source: the official petition page. Last checked 15 Jul 2026.