Dawlish Discussion

I see there has been a new and free camp ground established outside the Co op in Dawlish. Currently only one resident/tent but I will keep my fingers crossed that more will feel inclined to join our happy and open community in Dawlish.

Vagrancy Act 1824 remains in force in England and Wales, making it a criminal offence to sleep rough (under Section 4) and beg (under Section 3), subject to certain conditions. Despite long-standing calls for repeal, the law has not yet been fully removed from the statute books. The Act was originally passed in 1824 to address homelessness following the Napoleonic Wars and the Industrial Revolution, targeting displaced soldiers, rural migrants, and the urban poor. It has been widely criticised for criminalising poverty and failing to address root causes of homelessness. Modern use of the law has declined significantly — from over 2,000 prosecutions annually in the 2010s to just 384 prosecutions and 298 convictions in 2023 — but enforcement continues through fines (up to £1,000) and conditional discharges. 

In June 2025, the UK Government, under Secretary of State Angela Rayner, confirmed plans to repeal the Vagrancy Act 1824 by Spring 2026, regardless of whether replacement legislation is passed. This decision follows sustained pressure from charities like Crisis, Centrepoint, and The Passage, as well as international human rights bodies. The UN Human Rights Council welcomed the move as a "major step toward ending criminalisation" of homelessness. 

Although the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 included a provision to repeal the Act (Section 81), it has not yet been brought into force.

The government now intends to implement repeal by 2026, marking a significant shift from punishment to support-based approaches for people experiencing homelessness. 

@boo hoo

Be prepared for the do - gooders