Thank you for contacting me about homelessness and the Salvation Army’s recent campaign.
I understand your concerns about levels of homelessness in the UK. I believe that no one should be forced to live on the streets, and I share your desire to end homelessness and rough sleeping for good.
With rough sleeping is at its highest level since records began, it more vital than ever that the Government works harder to end homelessness once and for all. While I welcome that the Government has now published its National Plan to End Homelessness, building on the last Government's Ending Rough Sleeping For Good strategy, statutory homelessness statistics show that both the number of families threatened with homelessness and the number of families who became homeless has sadly increased compared to last year.
While there is still progress to be made on ending homelessness, important work began under the last Government to this end. This includes the introduction of the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017, under which over 740,000 families were helped to keep their housing and find longer term accommodation between 2018 and 2024, and the Rough Sleeping Initiative, which provided over £2 billion to help rough sleepers find work, access services, and secure accommodation.
Only by making housing more affordable can people leave temporary accommodation and move into secure, long-term homes of their own. That is why the last Government also allocated over £11 billion to the Affordable Homes Programme from 2021 to 2026, providing more affordable and social housing for sale or rent across the country.
I, like you, want see every person sleeping rough able to access support to get off the streets. This is why, as I mentioned above, I welcome measures taken under the last Government, and this Government, to end homelessness.
Unfortunately, however, youth and overall homelessness have increased since the Government took office. It is vital that the Government works harder to eliminate homelessness by the end of the Parliament.
Thank you again for taking the time to contact me.
