Antisocial behaviour powers
Guidance on the powers that the police, local authorities and other local agencies can use to tackle antisocial behaviour.
Applies to England and Wales
Documents
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 which they can use to respond quickly and effectively to antisocial behaviour.
These include:
- respect 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 community remedy and antisocial behaviour case reviews which empower victims and communities to have a say in the outcome of reports and hold agencies to account.
The antisocial behaviour measures in this act are contained in parts 1 to 6.
Part 1 Respect orders, youth injunctions and housing injunctions
A respect order is a civil order available through the courts 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 enables agencies, including the police and local councils, to place restrictions and requirements on young people whose behaviour is causing harassment, alarm or distress, helping to address issues early and prevent further antisocial behaviour.
A housing injunction is a civil injunction available through the courts to tackle 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
These orders are available following an 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
These enable 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 antisocial and criminal behaviour in a specific place.
Part 5 Recovery of possession of dwelling 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 an antisocial behaviour grounds for possession in the most serious cases of antisocial behaviour bringing faster relief to victims and communities.
Part 6 Local involvement and accountability
The community remedy gives victims of low-level crime and antisocial behaviour a say in 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.
Introduction to guidance published in July 2025
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 that they can use to respond quickly and effectively to antisocial behaviour.
These include:
- civil injunctions
- criminal behaviour orders
- public spaces protection orders
- community protection notices
- dispersal powers
- closure powers
The act also includes measures such as the community remedy and antisocial 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 Injunctions
This is a purely civil injunction, available in the county court for adults and the youth court for 10 to 17 year olds. It allows a wide range of agencies, including the police, local councils and social landlords to deal quickly with antisocial individuals, nipping behaviour in the bud before it escalates.
Part 2 Criminal behaviour orders
This is available following a 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
This enables 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.
Part 5 Recovery of possession of dwelling-houses: antisocial behaviour grounds
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 a ground 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 community remedy gives victims of low-level crime and antisocial behaviour a say in 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.
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