Grimsby charity has concerns about new homeless legislation

Some Conservatives are preparing to rebel against the proposals

Homelessness
Author: Andy MarshPublished 4th Apr 2024

A North East Lincolnshire charity says the government is trying to criminalise homelessness.

The government is planning to introduce the Criminal Justice bill that would allow police to fine so-called 'nuisance' rough sleepers.

Andrew Brown is chair of trustees at Harbour Place in Grimsby - we spoke to him about the issue.

"Any person who's on the streets - they have their own individual story as to how and why they are there."

Clearly it's incredibly unhelpful to people who are on the streets themselves

"They need encouragement to bring their own positive change and the key to that is a bit of self respect and this kind of language doesn't encourage self respect."

"We do fully appreciate that begging in particular can be disruptive to businesses - we don't support begging in any way at all but we just don't see how criminalising homelessness can be the answer really."

"Of we start treating people who are on the streets as a group of people - a different class of people - someone who is not of the same worth - clearly it's incredibly unhelpful to people who are on the streets themselves."

The Government says nobody should be criminalised for having nowhere to live, and it's determined to end rough sleeping for good.

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