Homelessness


Thousands of children stuck in temporary accommodation this summer, councils warn 02/08/2021 Nearly 120,000 children in England will be spending the summer holidays living in temporary accommodation, official figures reveal.
Metro mayors call for extension of housing pilot scheme 28/07/2021 The metro mayors for Greater Manchester, Liverpool City Region and West Midlands have joined forces to call for an extension of the Housing First pilot scheme.
New safe housing pilot for vulnerable rough sleepers 27/07/2021 Vulnerable rough sleepers will be given access to safe housing under a new pilot in 12 areas in England.
Why ditching the checklist has helped us tackle homelessness in Plymouth 27/07/2021 Gary Wallace explains how Plymouth City Council has adopted a new way of managing public services: Human Learning Systems.
Keep up COVID funding to end homelessness, says Kerslake 27/07/2021 Ending homelessness is possible, but the Government needs to keep up funding or face a post-pandemic surge, an independent commission concluded.
MPs urge Government to scale up homelessness pilots 21/07/2021 The Government has been urged to continue funding three homelessness programmes that have a combined success rate of 88% by MPs.
15 local areas to deliver Changing Futures programme 19/07/2021 The most vulnerable people across England will receive co-ordinated support to help rebuild their lives, the Government has announced.
Social housing shortage blamed for rising bed and breakfast use 02/07/2021 Rising numbers of people who are homeless are being placed in bed and breakfasts due to a severe shortage of social housing, council leaders have warned.
Tech-based approach to tackling homelessness could save billions 30/06/2021 Seb Barker explains how local government can use crowdfunding to tackle a wide range of social problems.
Councils welcome fall in rough sleeping numbers 11/06/2021 Council leaders have welcomed the drop in the number of rough sleepers, arguing it shows what can be achieved when central and local government work together.
MHCLG uses social impact investment to fund homes for rough sleepers 11/06/2021 A three-year social investment pilot will help fund over 200 homes for rough sleepers across England.
London’s first detox unit for homeless people announced 09/06/2021 London’s first dedicated detox unit for people who are homeless is set to open on 14 June to help those suffering from addiction off the streets.
Call for powers to use empty properties for homeless families 07/06/2021 The Local Government Association (LGA) wants more powers to make use of empty properties to provide accommodation for homeless people.
Nearly two million tenants fear losing their home 01/06/2021 More than one in five private renters are worried they will lose their home now that the ban on evictions has been lifted, a homelessness charity has warned.
Councils set out six-point plan to prevent families at ‘cliff-edge’ of homelessness 01/06/2021 Council leaders have published a six-point plan to help protect vulnerable households from homelessness now that the ban on bailiff evictions has ended.
London's 'triple whammy' risks homelessness crisis 20/05/2021 London Councils has warned there is a ‘triple whammy’ of impending risks that threaten to push homelessness to record levels this summer.
Council chiefs welcome £200m to help rough sleepers 17/05/2021 Local authority leaders have welcomed an announcement that they will receive over £200m to help rough sleepers but called for focus on homelessness prevention.
Council apologises after mother and son left to live in tent during pandemic 23/04/2021 A mother and her teenager were forced to sleep in a tent for almost two months after Medway Council failed to house them during the pandemic, an investigation has found.
Charity warns over 60,000 families 'tipped into homelessness last winter' 23/04/2021 The number of homeless households living in temporary accommodation has increased by 8% in a year, new figures have revealed.
Homeless charity warns calls from young people up a third in past year 21/04/2021 Vulnerable young people have struggled to access the support they need in the past year, a charity has warned in a new report.
MPs call for ‘coherent exit plan’ to protect private renters 31/03/2021 The Government should establish a system of financial support for renters who have amassed significant rent arrears during the COVID-19 pandemic, MPs say.
Launch of new independent rough sleeping commission 24/03/2021 A new independent commission to learn the lessons from how rough sleepers were supported during the pandemic has been launched.
Changing Futures programme extended for three years 19/03/2021 A programme to help people facing multiple issues has been extended with an extra £18m new investment.
Jenrick announces £212m pot to tackle rough sleeping 18/03/2021 Councils have been invited to bid for a share of a multi-million-pound fund aimed at providing people sleeping rough with secure, long-term accommodation.
COVID initiative exposes true extent of rough sleeping crisis 17/03/2021 MPs criticise Government’s homelessness strategy after report reveals COVID initiative has housed nine times official estimate of people sleeping rough.
Six million people fear homelessness due to COVID-19 16/03/2021 One in seven adults in England – or more than six million people – are more worried about becoming homeless due to the pandemic, new research reveals.
Homeless people and rough sleepers to be prioritised for COVID-19 vaccine 12/03/2021 Local teams have been given permission to offer the COVID-19 vaccine to homeless people or those sleeping rough.
Government extends eviction ban in England 11/03/2021 The extension on the current ban on evictions by bailiffs has been welcomed by a homelessness charity.
Councils fear homelessness ‘tidal wave’ 01/03/2021 Local authorities are braced for a surge in the number of homeless people as protections put in place for the COVID-19 pandemic are allowed to lapse.
Rough sleeping stats: 'We're still a long way from zero' 25/02/2021 The number of people sleeping rough in England was up by more than half on 2010 despite the Everyone In scheme, the latest annual snapshot has shown.
Homeless deaths rose by more than a third in past year, warn campaigners 22/02/2021 The number of homeless people who died last year increased by 37% despite the success of the Everyone In scheme, new research has revealed.
Welfare state and social services had ‘serious weaknesses’ before COVID, study says 22/02/2021 A new study has revealed the extent to which the impact of COVID-19 has been exacerbated by pre-existing fault-lines in the welfare state and social services.
Ban on bailiff evictions in England extended by six weeks 15/02/2021 A ban on bailiff evictions has been extended until the end of March to protect renters during the current lockdown restrictions.
Homelessness figures highlight 'gross shortage' of social homes, warns charity 28/01/2021 Councils were only able to help a fifth of households at risk of homelessness to stay in their existing home, a charity has warned today.
Councils across the UK join pioneering network to tackle homelessness 21/01/2021 Fifteen local authorities have now joined a new network to help tackle homelessness.
COVID-19 reveals scale of rough sleeping ‘far exceeds’ previous estimates 14/01/2021 The scale of the rough sleeping population in England ‘far exceeds’ the Government’s previous estimates and has been made clear during the pandemic.
Nearly 130,000 children in temporary accommodation during lockdown 13/01/2021 Around 450 primary schools’ worth of homeless children are spending lockdown in temporary accommodation amid a chronic shortage of affordable housing, council chiefs have warned.
Councils asked to 'redouble efforts' on rough sleeping 08/01/2021 English councils have been asked to ‘redouble their efforts’ to help accommodate people sleeping rough, with the Government finding an additional £10m funding.
Government urged to bring back Everyone In programme 07/01/2021 The Government has been urged to ensure all rough sleepers are housed during the third national lockdown.
Council housing waiting lists could double due to COVID-19 22/12/2020 Local authority housing waiting lists could nearly double as a result of COVID-19, council chiefs have warned.
Jenrick announces £310m to tackle homelessness 21/12/2020 Council leaders welcome Government’s funding pledge to tackle homelessness but warn long-term investment is needed rather than ‘one-off emergency response’.
Charity warns a quarter of a million people trapped in temporary accommodation 17/12/2020 Over a quarter of a million people in England have been living in temporary accommodation throughout the pandemic, a homelessness charity has warned today.
Deaths of homeless people in England and Wales hits record high 15/12/2020 The number of homeless people dying in England and Wales has reached the highest level since records began in 2013, according to official figures.
Nearly 90,000 children set to spend Christmas in temporary housing, warns London Councils 14/12/2020 Nearly 90,000 children in the capital will spend Christmas in temporary accommodation organised by their local council, new figures have warned today.
Rough sleepers to get extra support for drug and alcohol dependency 14/12/2020 Extra funding will be given to 43 areas across England to help rough sleepers recover from drug and alcohol misuse.
London council rejects ‘cruel’ new immigration rules 10/12/2020 Lewisham Council has hit out at ‘draconian’ new immigration rules that make sleeping rough a legal ground to cancel or refuse permission to stay in the UK.
One person every minute calls Shelter's emergency helpline 01/12/2020 A new person has called Shelter’s emergency helpline every minute in the past two months, the homelessness charity has revealed.
Councils have 'serious concerns' over protecting rough sleepers this winter 24/11/2020 Some councils will face the 'difficult choice' of leaving people to sleep rough or placing them in unsafe accommodation this winter, a new report has warned.
Councils worried about long-term impact of pandemic on homelessness 20/11/2020 Councils have recognised the positive effects of Government policy on homelessness during the pandemic, but are concerned these are only ‘temporary’ measures.
Over half of teachers have worked with homeless children, study reveals 18/11/2020 More than half of state teachers (56%) have worked with homeless children in the past three years, a new study has revealed.
Councils asked to review rough sleeping plans 05/11/2020 Councils have been asked to review their plans and ensure every rough sleeper is offered somewhere safe to go to help protect them from COVID-19.
Crisis call for return of Everyone In 04/11/2020 The chief executive of homelessness charity Crisis has called for ring-fenced funding for councils to provide COVID-safe accommodation for anyone at risk of rough sleeping.
Funding allocated for thousands of new homes for rough sleepers 29/10/2020 More than 3,300 new long-term homes for rough sleepers will be delivered by the end of March 2021, the Government has pledged.
Rural homelessness doubles in past two years, campaigners warn 28/10/2020 Homelessness in rural areas has more than doubled since 2018, new research from campaigners has warned.
New guidance to prevent care leavers becoming homeless 26/10/2020 Councils have been urged to identity care leavers that are at risk of becoming homeless, in new guidance published today.
Charity blasts cost of 'shoddy and expensive' temporary accommodation 23/10/2020 Councils in England spent £1.2bn on providing temporary accommodation for homeless households in 2019/20, figures have revealed.
Calls to invest £900m in ‘transitional supported housing’ 15/10/2020 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.
Councils secure £10m to help homeless people this winter 13/10/2020 Councils will receive a new £10m Cold Weather Fund to help rough sleepers stay safe this winter.
Warning that homeless people will die this winter without action 08/10/2020 The Government has been urged to provide self contained accommodation for homeless people this winter to protect them from coronavirus by charities and health bodies.
Black people three times more likely to experience homelessness, figures reveal 02/10/2020 Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) groups are being disproportionately impacted by homelessness, new figures have revealed.
Councils call for investment to tackle key drivers of homelessness 28/09/2020 Councils have stopped nearly a quarter of a million households from becoming homeless since the introduction of the Homelessness Reduction Act (HRA) in 2018, a review has found.
Hundreds of homeless lives saved by emergency accommodation, researchers find 25/09/2020 More funding and emergency legal changes are ‘critical’ so local authorities can continue to support people in safe and secure accommodation, the chief executive of homelessness charity Crisis has said.
Councils urged to combine employment support into homelessness services 21/09/2020 Personalised support from councils could help twice as many people stay in employment, a new paper has argued.
Labour calls for extension of evictions ban to ‘avoid homelessness crisis’ 18/09/2020 The Labour Party have called on the Government to extend the evictions ban due to end on Sunday to avoid a homelessness crisis this winter.
Jenrick announces over £90m to tackle rough sleeping 17/09/2020 The Government has announced today that over £90m in funding will be given to local authorities to help them provide temporary housing to vulnerable people.
Renters facing eviction given a 'Christmas truce' 11/09/2020 The Government has announced a 'winter truce' on the enforcement of evictions over the Christmas period.
Calls for emergency funding to help tenants clear 'Covid-arrears' 28/08/2020 The Government has been urged to create a £270m investment package to help tenants clear rent arrears as a result of the pandemic.
Evictions ban extended 21/08/2020 The Government has extended the ban on evictions of renters for a further month following lobbying by councils.
Councils warn of ‘avalanche of evictions’ 21/08/2020 The local government sector is braced for a deluge of homelessness following the end of the evictions ban.
Plans to end homelessness will ‘fail’ without funding 13/08/2020 The Government’s pledge to end homelessness will fail unless services are fully funded in the upcoming spending review, the Salvation Army has warned.
Welsh government announces £50m package to tackle homelessness 11/08/2020 The Welsh government has announced the onset of phase two of a package aimed at providing people with safe and secure homes.
A modular solution to the housing crisis 10/08/2020 Richard Hyams says modular construction is the untapped answer to providing shelter to Britain’s homeless.
Public bodies urged to work in partnership to eliminate rough sleeping 23/07/2020 Public bodies have failed to work together to tackle homelessness in Wales, a report has warned today.
Jenrick unveils extra funding to help house vulnerable people 20/07/2020 Councils are being encouraged to apply for the government’s £266m fund to help vulnerable people move into long-term accommodation.
Mistakes on homelessness are making matters worse, says Ombudsman 15/07/2020 Problems with the way councils are meeting their housing duties are making things worse for homeless people, the Ombudsman found.
Charity warns 230,000 renters at risk of 'Covid-eviction' 06/07/2020 Nearly a quarter of a million private renters have fallen into arrears since the pandemic started, a homelessness charity has warned today.
Rent arrears could see homelessness treble this year, campaigners warn 01/07/2020 Homelessness could treble this year due to financial impact of coronavirus, campaigners have warned today.
£105m funding boost to help homeless off the streets after lockdown 24/06/2020 Ministers have unveiled a further £105m of funding to help keep rough sleepers off the streets after the pandemic.
Councils call for suspension of No Recourse to Public Funds 12/06/2020 Council leaders have called on the Government to ensure vulnerable people can access support regardless of their immigration status during the pandemic.
London Councils warn spending on homelessness is 'unsustainable' 08/06/2020 London boroughs are spending an extra £50m on homelessness services due to Covid-19, new figures have revealed.
Frontline services warn of rise in homelessness 04/06/2020 Over of half of frontline services have seen a rise in homelessness due to the coronavirus pandemic, research has revealed today.
Plan to build 6,000 new homes to 'end rough sleeping' 26/05/2020 The Government has pledged to provide long-term homes for those people taken off the streets during the pandemic.
Councils 'unlikely to cope' with rise in homelessness 22/05/2020 Campaigners have warned that councils are unlikely to cope with a rise in homelessness after figures showed half of homeless households were unable to secure a home before the pandemic.
‘Golden opportunity’ to end rough sleeping 22/05/2020 The Government has been urged to commit £100m to councils in a bid to end rough sleeping in England.
Scots charities launch bid to end rough sleeping 21/05/2020 A coalition of Scots charities will today present plans their plans to end rough sleeping to the Scottish Government.
Councils urged to make bold changes to end homelessness 20/05/2020 Local authorities have been urged to take practical steps to ensure nobody is forced to sleep rough once the lockdown is over.
District councils warn 500,000 at risk of homelessness 06/05/2020 Almost 500,000 households are at high risk of becoming homeless as a result of the economic impact of the coronavirus crisis, new analysis for the District Councils’ Network (DCN) has revealed.
Councils have supported 90% of rough sleepers during pandemic 04/05/2020 Councils have offered accommodation to 90% of known rough sleepers to keep them safe during the pandemic, the Government has confirmed.
Social landlords asked to only allow essential home moves 28/04/2020 Social housing landlords have been asked to pause any non-urgent house moves to help limit the spread of coronavirus.
Hotels supporting key workers and homeless to stay open 26/03/2020 Hotels, hostels and B&Bs supporting key workers and vulnerable people are to remain open as part of the effort to contain the coronavirus.
Councils 'failing' homeless veterans, campaigners warn 24/03/2020 Campaigners have warned councils are failing to take account of veterans in their housing and homelessness strategies.
Homeless families need more Coronavirus protection, charity says 20/03/2020 Families in temporary accommodation should be provided with better protection against Coronavirus, a housing charity has said.
Emergency funding to help rough sleepers self-isolate 18/03/2020 Councils will be reimbursed the cost of helping homeless people self-isolate to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
Tory MPs call for more funding for services to prevent rough sleeping 16/03/2020 A group of 10 Conservative MPs have called for a move from a policy of ‘housing first’ to one of ‘prevention first’ that would see more funding go to services aimed at preventing homelessness.
Lack of housing stopping councils from helping homeless people, charity warns 10/03/2020 A lack of affordable housing is forcing local authorities to leave people homeless, a homelessness charity has warned.
Service reform needed to tackle persistent use of Spice within homeless population 06/03/2020 Legislation has failed to reduce the use of Spice by homeless people, a new study has concluded.
Number of homeless people admitted to hospital rises 130% in five years 03/03/2020 Homelessness led to a sharp increase in the number of hospital admissions in the past year, new research has revealed.
PM announces extra £236m to tackle rough sleeping 27/02/2020 The Government has announced an extra £236m to help get rough sleepers off the street and will lead an ‘urgent review’ into what forces people to sleep rough.
Housing benefit reform a ‘false economy’ 27/02/2020 Councils have been left carrying the financial burden of reforms to housing benefit, new research has revealed today.
Call for ‘urgent action’ to stop people sleeping in bins 24/02/2020 Waste companies have called for a collaborative approach to stopping homeless people from sleeping in bins as new figures reveal a 15% increase in the practice over the last half decade.

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