The Crime and Policing Bill 2025 had its second reading in Parliament on 10 March 2025. The reading led to a significant number of amendments relating to Anti-Social Behaviour: 

So, what are the headline changes? 

• The minimum age for receiving a Respect Order will be reduced from age 18 to age 16
• If an individual receives more than one Respect Order, they can be liable to a fine. 
• The definition of ASB, for the purposes of a Respect Order, is the same as S.2 of the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, which can be found here.  In short, conduct: 
  1. That has caused, or is likely to cause, harassment, alarm or distress to any person 
  2. Capable of causing nuisance or annoyance to a person in relation to that person’s occupation of residential premises, or
  3. Capable of causing housing-related nuisance or annoyance to any person.
• An individual who receives a Respect Order can be moved to the bottom of a social housing waiting list.
• The penalties for repeated breaches of a Respect Order are to be increased (individuals could face a custodial sentence of up to 5 years). 
• The definition of ASB for the purposes of the below legislation/documents will be amended to include the housing-related definition: 
  • Community Remedy Document.
  • S.50 of the Police Reform Act 2002 – for the purpose of compelling someone to provide their name and/or address.
• Respect Orders will be added to S.102 of the ASB, Crime and Policing Act 2014 as a Community Remedy. 
• The Absolute Ground for possession to be amended to include Respect Orders. 
• The Localism Act 2011 will be amended to include the Respect Order as being a ground of refusal to surrender or grant a tenancy.
• The definition of ASB, for the purposes of the Youth Injunction, will mirror that of the Housing Injunction. 
• The consultation requirement in relation to varying or discharging injunctions applies to both housing and youth orders.

Perhaps the most anticipated amendment is inclusion of Respect Orders as an Absolute Ground for possession. This mirrors the current provisions for anti-social behaviour injunctions, where if held by a Court to be breached, possession applications can be progressed on a mandatory basis. 

The bill has reached Committee Stage, having its first and second sitting for debate on 27 March 2025. At this stage, the Committee scrutinises the Bill line by line. 

Further Sittings are expected on 01 April 2025 and 03 April 2025. The House of Commons expects a report following the Committee stage by 13 May 2025, so watch this space! 

For further information relating to Respect Orders and their key points, see Helen Tucker’s blog.