HOUSING

Government expected to fail to meet rough sleeping target

The Government will fail to meet its target to end rough sleeping because of a ‘chronic shortage’ of affordable housing and support services, experts have warned.

The Government will fail to meet its target to end rough sleeping because of a ‘chronic shortage' of affordable housing and support services, experts have warned.

report from the Kerslake Commission on homelessness and rough sleeping said that homelessness was on the rise because of a ‘severe shortage' in affordable housing, a lack of statutory support services and the cost of living crisis.

The latest national figures showed a 26% increase in rough sleeping.

Established to learn the lessons from Everyone In - the scheme that provided rough sleepers with emergency accommodation during the Covid-19 pandemic - the Kerslake Commission said the Government should fix Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates at the 30th percentile of local rents.

Chair of the Local Government Association, Shaun Davies, said: ‘LHA rates should also be urgently reviewed to ensure that at least a third of the market is affordable for people claiming housing related benefits, alongside adequate resources for councils' homelessness services and a cross-departmental homelessness prevention strategy.'

A Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities spokesperson said: ‘We remain focused on ending rough sleeping for good and are spending £2bn to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping in the areas that need it most.'

HOUSING

EXCLUSIVE: Reorganisation tax warning

By Dan Peters | 05 June 2025

Town and parish councils have warned ministers not to impose restrictions on their ability to raise tax amid talk of more being created under reorganisation.

HOUSING

Councils told cuts will follow

By By Martin Ford | 05 June 2025

Councils have been warned to brace for grant cuts after next week’s Spending Review despite deputy prime minister Angela Rayner’s attempts to shield the sector.

HOUSING

EXCLUSIVE: Scotland's financial governance has helped councils avoid failure

By Ann McGauran | 04 June 2025

Scotland’s system of financial governance has helped avoid local authority financial failure, the chair of its funding watchdog has suggested.

HOUSING

Using AI to build a thriving public sector

By Paul Maltby | 03 June 2025

Paul Maltby sets out how AI can help local government leaders plug funding gaps and transform public services nationwide.

Popular articles by William Eichler