New Respect Orders take effect to crack down on antisocial behaviour in England and Wales

New Respect Orders came into force in England and Wales on Monday, giving police and local councils powers to tackle antisocial behaviour. The orders can also be applied for by housing association landlords and transit networks for persistent adult offenders.

The measures are similar to the anti-social behaviour orders introduced during the Tony Blair era but apply only to adults. Restrictions can include curfews, bans from certain areas, and prohibitions on repeating nuisance behaviour such as street drinking.

“Anti-social behaviour is something that really makes people feel like they're not safe in their own communities, and it has been seen as low-level in the past, and perhaps not resourced in the way that it should be.”

Unlike previous orders, Respect Orders can also include positive requirements. These may involve compulsory drug and alcohol treatment or anger management training for those subject to the order.

Breaching a Respect Order is a criminal offence and can result in an unlimited fine or up to two years in prison. Policing minister Sarah Jones said she expects police forces to enforce the orders rigorously.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said the orders deliver on a manifesto commitment to the British people. She added that those who make life a misery for others will now face the consequences of their actions.

The orders were first proposed by Keir Starmer in a March 2023 speech at Port Vale FC, where he described them as anti-social behaviour orders with teeth. Parliament's Joint Committee on Human Rights has previously warned that the broad definition risks sweeping up less serious matters and could disproportionately affect vulnerable groups.