“That’s why I’m providing an extra £30 million in emergency support for councils – taking real, immediate action to stop people falling through the cracks, stay in their homes, and help them rebuild their lives.
“Our Plan for Change is tackling the worst housing crisis in a generation by delivering the biggest boost in social and affordable housing in a generation, fixing the broken rental market and getting us back on track to end homelessness once and for all.”
Rayner is leading an inter-ministerial group on tackling homelessness and rough sleeping that is expected to publish a long-awaited long-term homelessness strategy later this year.
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The government has pledged to spend £1bn in addressing the issue including an increase in spending on preventing homelessness.
The latest emergency funding, which comes just days before the latest official annual rough sleeping snapshot, is also focused on preventing people from falling into homelessness. The government said it will mean councils are dealing with fewer people reaching crisis point, freeing up resources and easing demand on social services, health care and emergency housing teams.
Rising homelessness has put pressure on local authorities with record-high numbers of people living in temporary accommodation.
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Frontline homelessness charities are also facing cash concerns ahead of the summer’s comprehensive spending review.
Homeless Link, the membership charity for frontline homelessness organisations, has called on the Treasury to reform funding for the sector at the spending review.
Requested reforms include immediate support for services struggling with national insurance rises and local authority budget pressures as well as cross-departmental spending for more social housing, widespread adoption of Housing First and reform to the benefits system.
Rick Henderson, chief executive of Homeless Link, said last month: “We are calling for a wholesale review and reset of the funding system and a national homelessness strategy that shifts the focus from crisis management to prevention to ensure that people do not lose their homes in the first place and that those individuals on our streets get the support they need to move-on for good.”
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