Rough sleeping
Call for Whitehall homelessness strategy after rough sleeping spike
London Councils has called for a cross-departmental strategy to reduce homelessness after Government data showed a 30% rise in rough sleeping in a year.
National issues on a local scale: tackling the cost of living crisis
Local authorities are working with partners in a variety of creative and resourceful ways in response to the cost of living crisis, as Stephen Gaskell explains.
Supported housing is a smart investment
Supported housing changes lives and saves public money, but its funding has reduced over time, says John Glenton. It should be a properly financed national priority, he adds.
Rough sleeping numbers up by a quarter
The number of rough sleepers has risen by 26% – the biggest increase since 2015 – in what one charity has branded a ‘collective failure’.
How can technology help tackle homelessness?
Seb Barker says it is crucial we adopt a person-centric approach to tackling homelessness, and he sets out some of the benefits technology can bring to the sector.
The local connection: Empower councils to help end veteran homelessness
With the Rough Sleeping Strategy currently expected to be published imminently Lee Buss-Blair suggests the key commitments to empower councils to help end veteran rough sleeping by 2024
We risk undoing the progress on non-UK nationals facing homelessness
Rick Henderson warns of a ‘cliff edge’ of non-UK national homelessness without government reforms, including funding councils to provide a minimum standard of accommodation.
Housing First is not the only solution to homelessness
Closing good quality, short-term supported housing in favour of Housing First would reduce significantly the number of people councils could support, says Lee Buss-Blair.
Targeting an end to rough sleeping
Even political rivals want minister Eddie Hughes to deliver on the target of ending rough sleeping in England within two years. But is the Government dragging its feet on expanding the ‘really important’ Housing First scheme? Dan Peters reports.
Government adviser urges ministers to expand Housing First
Ministers must pile further cash into Housing First schemes if they want to meet their target of ending rough sleeping in England by 2024, a Government adviser has urged.
A huge step forward on ending rough sleeping
By scrapping the Vagrancy Act we are a huge step closer to ending rough sleeping, says the MP who led the campaign, Nickie Aiken.
Helping our homeless
The scale of the success of the Everyone In initiative in tackling rough sleeping should not be underestimated, and there is now a host of creative projects from which to adopt best practice, says Sir Bob Neill.
Ministers acknowledge long-term savings from Everyone In
Ministers have acknowledged that the Government’s Everyone In policy will achieve long-term savings despite arguing it is ‘not a sustainable approach’.
Districts are working hard to ensure a healthy Christmas future
With a hard winter looming, districts are focused on making sure every rough sleeper gets a jab, getting the vulnerable into secure accommodation, and addressing poverty, says Cllr Sam Chapman-Allen.
This provisional settlement makes the job of districts harder
The Provisional Local Government Finance Settlement falls short of what district councils need and leaves funding gaps that undermine the ability to deliver essential services, says Cllr Sharon Taylor.
This is a pivotal moment for ending rough sleeping
The next phase of the pandemic presents a new challenge to rise to – ensuring that we seize every opportunity to end rough sleeping for good, says chief executive of London Councils Alison Griffin.
A whole-system approach to tackle the blight of drug abuse
Minister for Rough Sleeping and Housing Eddie Hughes reflects on the Prime Minister’s announcement today on the launch of a 10-year Drugs Strategy, and the need to work closely with councils.
Gove backs Housing First
New communities secretary Michael Gove has indicated his support for the rolling out of Housing First.
Call for investment in homelessness data
The head of Whitehall’s ‘what works’ centre on homelessness has called for better data infrastructure to help achieve the end of rough sleeping by 2024.
System-wide approach to no more homelessness in Norfolk
The Norfolk Strategic Housing Partnership uses a more human approach to tackling homelessness, centred on speaking to people who have been or are currently sleeping rough, says Stephen Evans.