Unauthorised camping

Housing

Communities and Local Government recognises that problems connected with unauthorised encampments are mainly, though by no means entirely, related to the lack of legal sites.

We encourage local authorities and those on unauthorised encampments to work together to ensure that these encampments do not cause problems. The Government agrees that there is no excuse for unauthorised encampments if there is adequate site provision. That is why a new eviction power for the police was introduced in the Anti-social Behaviour Act.

In early 2004 the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (now Communities and Local Government) and the Home Office issued joint guidance on Managing Unauthorised Encampments. This was widely welcomed. Further guidance on the new police powers introduced in the Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003 was produced in early 2005.

Unauthorised encampments are not always dealt with as effectively as possible, so Communities and Local Government published a step-by-step guide to their use. The guide is primarily aimed at local authorities and the police to enable them to act effectively but may also be of interest to private landowner, politicians and the wider settled community.