Ministers urged to seize ‘golden opportunity to end rough sleeping’

A cross-party group of MPs has called on the govement to invest £100m per year in housing support or risk thousands of people returning to the streets.

A new report published today (22 May) by the housing, communities and local government select committee warns of a looming homelessness crisis, unless the government takes urgent action.

The report argues that the current coronavirus crisis has given the government a unique opportunity to eradicate rough sleeping in England once and for all, with many homeless people currently in temporary accommodation.

It calls on the government to work quickly to develop a housing-based exit strategy and the necessary level of funding required to support it.

The report says government will also need to consider how to ensure an adequate supply of immediately available supported housing.

To this end, it says they should work with the Local Government Association and National Housing Federation to develop targeted grant funding for councils and housing associations to acquire properties, including those close to completion that may no longer be in demand.

It also calls on ministers to remove restrictions on Right to Buy receipts so councils can use 100% of sales to fund these acquisitions and better replace lost housing stock.

‘In our report we have called on the government to grasp the golden opportunity that has presented itself,’ said committee chair, Clive Betts.

‘For the first time in over a decade, rough sleepers have been comprehensively taken off the streets and given accommodation. This must become the new norm.

‘As it stands there are two main risks that need to be addressed if the current low levels of rough sleeping are to continue,’ added Mr Betts.

‘Firstly, the government needs to fund a comprehensive housing-led exit strategy for those currently being housed in short term accommodation during the Covid-19 crisis, which we estimate will cost around £100m a year. Secondly, the government needs to amend legislation to ensure those in the private rented sector who have been caught up in the economic fallout of the pandemic are not evicted when the freeze on eviction proceedings ends.’

Photo Credit – Leroy Skalstad (Pixabay)