From Tuesday, June 28, a new criminal offense will be in effect that could result in up to three months in prison for trespassers who illegally pitch their tent on private property or in public areas.
Putting a stop to odious people who create suffering by erecting unlawful camps and refusing to remove their vehicles fulfills a crucial promise made in the government manifesto.
Police in England and Wales will receive new authority on Tuesday to reduce the harms brought on by such unauthorized encampments, and new legislative guidelines will be published, according to the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022.
Instead of only three months, police will now have the authority to prevent trespassers from returning to a particular area for a whole year.
Additionally, the definition of injury will be expanded to allow authorities to deal with unauthorized encampments as appropriate with greater rigor.
They will be able to step in when illegal encampments are harming the environment or upsetting the community as a whole, not just the landowner.
Priti Patel, the home secretary, said:
No one should be unrestrained in their ability to intrude on the property of others or wreak havoc on neighborhoods without suffering any repercussions.
Trespassers must move their automobiles when requested to do so, or otherwise they risk jail time and a large fine.
Numerous people suffer as a result of illegal encampments, which also harm and contaminate the environment and can lead to unacceptable intimidation of local citizens just outside their front doors.
This government will always support the police and the majority of people who follow the law, as promised in our manifesto.
According to the new guidelines, the harms that could result from unauthorized encampments could include, but not be limited to, situations where:
Local communities are prevented from accessing sports fields, parks, or car parks; there is excessive littering; noise or smell, including from bonfire smoke; a local resident is verbally abused or intimidated, or fears leaving their home to avoid passing an encampment; or the land itself has been damaged, including farmland.
Unauthorized encampments on public and private land, as well as on roadways, will be addressed for the first time.
A prison sentence of up to 3 months, a fine of up to £2,500, or both, as well as the confiscation of the car, are the possible penalties for the new criminal offense.
The terms of the offense are clear: violators will not risk having their vehicle impounded, paying a fee, or going to jail if they leave when ordered to do so by law enforcement or the landowner.
According to statistics, there were 41% more approved traveler pitches between January 2010 and January 2020, and the government is still working to give even more approved locations for travelers to live on.
This includes a newly established fund that will offer £10 million in capital grant funding for 2022–2023 to assist local authorities in England in enhancing their traveler-friendly lodging options.