Westminster council has boarded up an area in the London borough to keep away rough sleepers, with campaigners warning that local authorities and police are pushing homeless people “out of sight and out of mind”. Rough sleeping in London reached an all-time high of 8,855 people for the 2018-19 calendar year, an 18% annual increase. The orders are used alongside the 1824 Vagrancy Act, which criminalises begging and rough sleeping in England and Wales. One homeless man, who asked to remain anonymous, was threatened with a penalty for “positioning himself for begging”. We continue to engage with partners on addressing the difficult issue of rough sleeping in and around the station constructively and sympathetically.”

Source: The Guardian June 19, 2019 11:55 UTC