“It is positive that rough sleeping has fallen. This is testament to the efforts of councils, working with government and partners, in getting people sleeping rough off the streets during the pandemic, and into safe and suitable accommodation."
Responding to a report by the Office for National Statistics on the latest trends from rough sleeping statistics across the UK, Cllr David Renard, Local Government Association housing spokesperson, said:
“It is positive that rough sleeping has fallen. This is testament to the efforts of councils, working with government and partners, in getting people sleeping rough off the streets during the pandemic, and into safe and suitable accommodation.
“This has shown what can be achieved when central and local government work together towards a shared goal. Councils want to build on this success and work with government on a cross-departmental homelessness prevention strategy and meet its ambition of ending rough sleeping by the end of this Parliament.
“Recent pots of government funding for councils to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping have been helpful. As we look ahead to the Spending Review, councils will need long-term funding through a multi-year settlement to give them the certainty they need to plan homelessness prevention services which can help prevent people from losing their homes in the first place.”
Notes to editors
The LGA is also calling for the restoration of welfare funding to at least £250 million a year and a review of the Discretionary Housing Payment scheme. Clear guidance on whether councils can support homeless adults with No Recourse to Public Funds as we move through the roadmap will also help to ensure that everyone who is vulnerable can access help if needed, regardless of immigration status.