Tens of thousands of Britons forced to move home because of anti-social behaviour

Tens of thousands of Britons are being forced to move home as a result of anti-social behaviour, shocking research has revealed.

More than a quarter (28 per cent) of households admit anti-social behaviour has made them feel unsafe.

Meanwhile, six per cent have actually been driven out of their homes due to acts of delinquency, the pollsters at YouGov found.

But more than twice the number of Britons have considered the idea, with one in seven people mulling over packing up and leaving.

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However, some 63 per cent of individuals who have experienced the appalling behaviour over the past three years failed to report the matter to police, the data for charity Resolve showed.

The pollsters reviewed more than 2,000 adults' insight into the issue.

The Victims' Commissioner for England and Wales, Claire Waxman, penned a letter to Justice Secretary David Lammy to demand new measures be rolled out to protect victims' rights.

"Until the Government puts those systems into operation, victims will continue to face a gap between the rights they are promised and the support they receive," she wrote.

The Victims and Prisoners Act received Royal Assent back in 2024. However, two years on, the legislation is still waiting to be implemented across the nation.

The legislation was created to boost the rights of those impact by crime, while also reforming the parole system and putting a halt to the most serious offenders from getting married behind bars.

It also heaped pressure on criminal justice agencies to monitor and report on their progress regarding the organisations' ability to deliver.

Such bodies include the Crown Prosecution Service, the Courts Service and the Probation Service.

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They work in accordance with the Code of Practice for Victims of Crime, which sets out clear information about the system for victims of crime, informing them of their rights.

Ms Waxman, however, has revealed that fewer than half of victims, around 42 per cent, doubt they can reach justice under the British system.

Around 27 per cent of respondents recalled being referred to specialist support services in their time of need.

More than one million anti-social behaviour incidents are logged by officers each year, data from the National Police Chiefs' Council revealed.

The NPCC explained how targeted operations focusing on town centres, street drinking and e-scooters have already delivered reductions in both criminal activity and anti-social behaviour – yet the problem continues to blight residential Britain.

Since the Government announced its neighbourhood policing guarantee in April last year, each of the 43 police forces in England and Wales has appointed a dedicated anti-social behaviour lead.

Crime and Policing Minister Sarah Jones said: "Anti-social behaviour is pernicious and chips away at pride in our neighbourhoods.

"This week is about showing communities that we will not tolerate it."

GB News has approached the Ministry of Justice for comment.

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