The government is moving to scrap a decades-old law that has allowed rough sleeping to be treated as a criminal offence. Multiple reports say the change involves repealing the Vagrancy Act of 1824, a statute originally enacted to deal with “idle and disorderly persons, and rogues and vagabonds.” The Vagrancy Act has been used historically to support enforcement actions related to homelessness and rough sleeping, and campaigners and legal commentators have argued that criminalising homelessness does not address its underlying causes. By ending the offence framework linked to the Act, the government’s decision is intended to remove the legal basis for treating rough sleepers as criminals under that specific provision. The reports describe the measure as part of a broader effort to update outdated laws and adjust how homelessness-related behaviour is handled. The transition away from the 1824 provisions changes the legal landscape for enforcement involving rough sleeping, although details on how authorities will handle cases going forward depend on any replacement guidance or legislation referenced alongside the repeal.