MPs have warned there is seemingly ‘no desire to move away from an unsatisfactory short-term system' for tackling homelessness.
In a report, the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) urged the Government to produce an overarching homelessness strategy for England, like in the devolved nations, to address a ‘crisis situation' and incentivise preventative approaches.
PAC chair Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown said: ‘A lack of affordable housing, a focus on short-term solutions and no clear strategy to tackle this issue have left us with thousands of families in deeply troubling circumstances.
‘Worryingly, there seems to be no desire to move away from an unsatisfactory short-term system, leaving local authorities attempting to save a sinking ship with a little more than a leaky bucket.'
The Local Government Association's housing spokesperson, Adam Hug, called for a ‘genuine cross-departmental approach to tackling this crisis, as part of a long-term government strategy, with councils given the powers and resources needed to address the national shortage of affordable housing'.
A Government spokesperson said deputy prime minister Angela Rayner was chairing the first cross-government group on tackling homelessness, which will 'develop a long-term strategy to tackle all forms of homelessness, bringing together the healthcare, justice and education systems'.
