Squatting in England and Wales

England and Wales are two parts of a big island called Great Britain, off the coast of Europe. Think of it like two states in a country! Most people live in cities and towns, but there are also lots of green fields and hills. The weather can be a bit rainy, so people often carry umbrellas. It's a place with a long history and lots of different kinds of buildings, some very old and some brand new.

A long time ago, in the 1970s, lots of empty houses were just sitting there. Some people who didn't have homes decided to move into these empty houses. It was like finding a free place to stay! In the city of London, there were so many people doing this, it was like filling up a whole playground with kids! This made some people in charge think about the rules.

The people who squatted often needed a place to live. Sometimes they moved into houses that the government owned and were waiting to fix up or build new things on. Other times, groups of people with big ideas about how to live together would find empty buildings. They weren't always doing anything wrong, but they were using buildings without permission.

Over the years, the rules about squatting changed. At first, it wasn't a big crime, but it was still against the rules. Then, the rules became stricter, like when a teacher makes a new rule about not running in the halls. Now, if someone squats in a house where people are supposed to live, it can lead to big trouble, like a fine or even going to jail for a little while.