Squatters' rights historically referred to the right of anyone occupying land and buildings not to be ejected except by due legal process. Squatting is when someone deliberately enters property without permission, also sometimes referred to as "adverse possession".
In 2012, the law in England changed so that squatting in residential buildings, such as a house or a flat, became illegal. Anyone squatting in a residential building can be jailed for a maximum of six months, fined £5,000 or both.
Squatting in a non-residential building is not against the law.