Exclusive: letter to Robert Jenrick says urgent changes needed to bill to avoid threat of jail for rough sleeping
Leading homelessness charities have made an unprecedented joint plea to UK ministers to reconsider the police and crime bill, warning it could in effect criminalise large numbers of people simply for being homeless.
In a letter to Robert Jenrick, the housing and communities secretary, seen by the Guardian, 13 charities and housing groups said urgent changes were needed to the bill to avoid the risk of people being arrested and imprisoned for sleeping rough.