Charities welcome the Government’s homelessness bill as it passes into law, but urge all political parties to pledge to stop the ‘scandal’ of rough sleeping.
The Homelessness Reduction Bill, a private members’ bill introduced by Conservative peer Bob Blackman, passed into law yesterday as it was granted Royal Assent.
The Act places a duty on councils to help eligible people at risk of homelessness secure accommodation 56 days before they are threatened with eviction and provide a further 56 days to help to find a home.
The Act comes into force as a coalition of charities, including Centrepoint, Crisis, Homeless Link, Shelter and St Mungo’s, call on all the political parties to commit to stop the scandal of rough sleeping in their General Election manifestos.
Rough sleeping in England has risen by 16% in the last year and has more than doubled in the last five.
‘The Homelessness Reduction Act is a crucial step forward in fighting homelessness,’ said Jon Sparkes, Chief Executive of Crisis.
‘For 40 years we’ve had a system that fails too many homeless people by turning them away from help when they need it most.
‘We’d like to thank the peers and MPs from across the political spectrum who came together to back this bill, as well as Government ministers for their leadership.’
However, Mr Sparkes warned the Act was ‘by no means a cure-all’ and he warned the number of people sleeping on the streets was rising ‘at an alarming rate’.
‘The success of the Homelessness Reduction Act shows what can be achieved when the political will exists to tackle the root causes of homelessness,’ he said.
‘Whoever wins the general election must make ending rough sleeping a top priority once they are elected.’
The Homelessness Reduction Act becomes law as MPs warn of the growing problem of homelessness.
A Public Accounts Committee (PAC) report, published today, found the number of families living in temporary accommodation has risen from 50,000 in 2011–12 to 72,000 in 2015–16. Almost 120,000 children in England live in temporary accommodation today.
