Is prostitution legal in Britain?
Strictly speaking, prostitution has always been legal in the UK, in the sense that it is not illegal to pay for sex, or to receive money for it. But many of the activities that it involves – including soliciting, kerb-crawling, pimping, and keeping a brothel – are all against the law. In practice, much depends on interpretation and enforcement. Campaigners argue that Asbos, for example, are frequently used against sex workers, outside of prostitution legislation.