Swearing and Everyday Activities Banned Under PSPOs in England and Wales

By April 2026, one in five English and Welsh councils have used PSPOs—originally to curb serious antisocial behaviour—to ban swearing, shouting and routine conduct, up from one in 20 in 2022.

The Guardian

Freedom-of-information requests to 319 councils showed 271 (91 %) with at least one PSPO and 1,268 new orders, each with 30 restrictions. In 2025, 25,000 fines were issued; three-quarters came from firms paid per fine. The pending Crime and Policing Bill would raise the maximum fine from £100 to £500.

The Guardian

Guildford Borough Council’s spokesperson said its approach is always proportionate and that swearing or shouting are not offences unless they cause annoyance, alarm or distress to others. Government, after three defeats in the House of Lords on amendments to ban profit-driven fining, rejected the changes but pledged to amend statutory guidance on PSPO enforcement.

The Guardian

Campaign for Freedom in Everyday Life director Josie Appleton says the orders have become bizarre bans that turn ordinary citizens into unwitting criminals. She warns the annoyance standard is so subjective it could criminalise almost any behaviour an officer finds disagreeable and highlights the lack of democratic oversight.

The Guardian

In Bury, 17-year-old busker Charlie Wilson was handcuffed and fined for performing despite a crowd; he told officers the audience was enjoying his act and asked whether cheering people up could be a crime. In Leicester, a 70-year-old campaigner was fined for flying a flag without council permission, a requirement activists say is effectively impossible to obtain.

The Guardian

Government expects the Crime and Policing Bill to become law later in 2026, raising the maximum PSPO fine to £500. Revised statutory guidance may tighten oversight of private enforcers and clarify the permissible scope of “annoyance”-based restrictions.

The Guardian

• “Councils have introduced a swathe of bizarre bans that will turn ordinary people into unwitting criminals,” — Josie Appleton, Director, Campaign for Freedom in Everyday Life

The Guardian

• “These orders are not subject to democratic or legal scrutiny: they can be brought through by a single unelected council officer, and do not require public consultation or full council assent.” — Josie Appleton

The Guardian

• “To cheer people up, is that a crime now?” — Charlie Wilson, 17-year-old busker, Bury

The Guardian

• “Swearing or shouting are not offences in themselves and action is only taken where behaviour causes annoyance, alarm or distress to others,” — Guildford Borough Council spokesperson

The Guardian

• “Seventy five percent of these penalties are issued by private enforcement companies who are paid per fine, and therefore have an incentive to issue as many penalties as possible,” — Josie Appleton

The Guardian