The Government has been urged to invest £900m to ensure the UK’s most ‘invisible’ vulnerable people have access to supported housing by a think tank.
Researchers for IPPR North warned that ‘transitional supported housing’ only makes up 29% of all supported housing. It also found this sector is so fragmented it has no clear nationwide definition or any data published on it.
The think tank says the £900m investment should be devolved to Mayoral Combined Authorities to administer in their own areas to reduce homelessness and build long-term capacity in the system.
Sarah Longlands, director of IPPR North said: ‘From people at risk of homelessness, to those fleeing domestic abuse, supported housing for the most vulnerable in our society has been overlooked and rendered invisible for far too long.
’Given that the demand for housing amongst the most vulnerable is set to increase as the social and economic impacts of COVID-19 begin to bite, the Government has a historic opportunity to commit to a sustainable future for people who need transitional supported housing.’
