Statutory guidance

Anti-socialAntisocial behaviour powers

Guidance on the powers that the police, local authorities and other local agencies can use to tackle antisocial behaviour.

Updates to this page

From:
Home Office
PublishedPublished:
9 May 2013
Last updatedupdated:
6 October 2026
Show all updates

  1. Introductory text and updated guidance - which comes into force on 26 October 2026 - added to the page.

  2. The Seeanti-social allbehaviour updates powers guidance has been updated.

  3. Revised guidance published.

  4. Added Welsh translation of the Anti-social behaviour powers PDF.

  5. Added a link to the ASB principles page.

  6. Update includes guidance on non-crime hate incidents.

  7. Updated guidance. Now includes Expedited Public Spaces Protection Orders, which are intended to protect the public from harm that some protests in the vicinity of schools, vaccination centres and NHS Test & Trace (T&T) sites in England or Test, Trace, Protect (TTP) sites in Wales cause.

  8. Added a link to best practice from the Local Government Association.

  9. Updated guidance to January 2021 edition.

  10. Welsh translation added.

  11. Guidance updated with link to new guidance on the Community Trigger.

  12. Updated reform of anti-social behaviour powers: statutory guidance for frontline professionals.

  13. Updated anti-social behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 statutory guidance for frontline professionals guidance.

  14. Information notes on Japanese knotweed, noise neighbours, public and open spaces, and young people published.

  15. 'Reform of anti-social behaviour powers: statutory guidance for frontline professionals' published.

  16. Fact sheets updated.

  17. Guidance added.

  18. First published.

Applies to England and Wales

Documents

Anti-social behaviour powers: statutory guidance for frontline professionals (October 2026)

PDF, 1.32.35 MB, 95150 pages

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Anti-social behaviour powers: statutory guidance for frontline professionals (July 2025)

PDF, 1.3 MB, 95 pages

Details

New statutory guidance comes into force on 26 October 2026. Until that date, frontline professionals should continue to use the statutory guidance published in July 2025.

Introduction to guidance which takes effect on 26 October 2026

Everyone has the right to feel safe in their own homes and neighbourhoods. The Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 aims to put victims first, giving power to local people and enabling professionals to find the best solutions for their local area.

The act provides the police, local authorities and other local agencies with flexible tools and powers thatwhich they can use to respond quickly and effectively to antisocial behaviour.

These include:

  • civilrespect orders, youth injunctions and housing injunctions
  • criminal behaviour orders
  • public spaces protection orders
  • community protection notices
  • dispersal powers
  • closure powers

The act also includes measures such as thecommunity Communityremedy Remedy and anti-socialantisocial behaviour case reviews which empower victims and communities to have a say in the outcome of their reports and hold agencies to account.

The antisocial behaviour measures in this act are contained in parts 1 to 6.

Part 1 –Respect Injunctions

orders, youth injunctions and housing injunctions

ThisA respect order is a purely civil injunction,order available inthrough the countycourts court for adults who have engaged in antisocial behaviour. It enables the police, local councils and other agencies to impose prohibitions and positive requirements on perpetrators, helping to stop persistent antisocial behaviour and prevent escalation.

A youth injunction is a civil injunction available in the youth court for 10 to 17 year olds. It allowsenables a wide range of agencies, including the police,police and local councilscouncils, to place restrictions and socialrequirements landlordson young people whose behaviour is causing harassment, alarm or distress, helping to dealaddress quicklyissues withearly and prevent further antisocial individuals,behaviour.

A nippinghousing behaviourinjunction inis a civil injunction available through the budcourts beforeto ittackle escalates.antisocial behaviour linked to housing. It enables social landlords and other providers to take swift action against individuals whose behaviour is causing nuisance or annoyance.

Part 2 – Criminal behaviour orders

ThisThese isorders are available following aan individual’s conviction for any criminal offence and can address the underlying causes of the behaviour through new, positive requirements. Breach is a criminal offence with a maximum penalty of up to 5 years in prison for adults. It demonstrates to the offender and the community the seriousness of the breach.

Part 3 – Dispersal powers

ThisThese enablesenable police officers to require a person who has committed, or is likely to commit, antisocial behaviour to leave a specified area and not return for up to 48 hours.

Part 4 – Community protection notices

This part is split into 3 chapters covering community protection notices, public spaces protection orders and closure orders. These new powers are faster, more effective and available to more agencies to use to tackle a whole range of place-specific antisocial and criminal behaviour.behaviour in a specific place.

Part 5 – Recovery of possession of dwelling-houses:dwelling antisocial behaviour grounds

houses

Antisocial behaviour can have a negative impact on neighbourhoods and communities. Social landlords have a key role in tackling antisocial behaviour. Provisions in the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act introduced aan groundantisocial behaviour grounds for possession to speed up the process in the most serious cases of antisocial behaviour bringing faster relief to victims and communities.

Part 6 – Local involvement and accountability

The Communitycommunity Remedyremedy gives victims of low-level crime and antisocial behaviour a say in the punishment of the offender out of court, whilst the anti-socialantisocial behaviour case review gives victims of persistent antisocial behaviour the right to demand action where they feel that their problems have not been dealt with.

Updates

Introduction to thisguidance pagepublished in July 2025

Published

Everyone 9has Maythe 2013

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  1. Crime and Policing Act 2014 aims to put victims first, giving power to local people and enabling professionals to find the best solutions for their local area.

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  12. 'Reformvictims of anti-sociallow-level crime and antisocial behaviour powers:a statutorysay guidancein the punishment of the offender out of court, whilst the antisocial behaviour case review gives victims of persistent antisocial behaviour the right to demand action where they feel that their problems have not been dealt with.

    We are aware this publication may have accessibility issues, for frontlineexample professionals'if published.you use assistive technology.