“Council housing waiting lists could nearly double as a result of COVID-19. It is vital that the government lifts the No Recourse to Public Funds condition to help prevent homelessness for the migrants who can't currently access the welfare safety net."
Responding to the Crisis report that finds that over 60,000 families and individuals could be prevented from becoming homeless in the next decade with Government action, Cllr David Renard, Local Government Association housing spokesperson, said:
“Efforts to get people sleeping rough off the streets and stop people from becoming homeless during the COVID-19 pandemic, has shown that it is possible to make a significant difference to the numbers of people forced to sleep on the streets.
“But we need to strive to make this the new normal and not just an emergency response at a time of crisis.
“Council housing waiting lists could nearly double as a result of COVID-19. It is vital that the government lifts the No Recourse to Public Funds condition to help prevent homelessness for the migrants who can't currently access the welfare safety net. There must also be a renewed focus on investing in homelessness prevention services, alongside removing right to buy restrictions so that councils have the ability to invest in building the social housing the country needs."