February 1st 2025.
As of now, there are over 8,000 people sleeping rough in England, according to recent government data. It's been almost five years since the Covid pandemic began, and it's easy to forget the extraordinary efforts that the government had to make to combat the crisis.
We all remember the furlough system, which provided some financial relief for those unable to work, and the Eat Out to Help Out scheme, where the government subsidized restaurant bills. But for those experiencing homelessness and the organizations that support them, there was another initiative that made a significant impact - Everyone In.
This initiative was launched on March 26, 2020, the same day the first lockdown was imposed, with a simple message to local authorities: "Help make sure we get everyone in." This meant that everyone, regardless of their usual eligibility for homelessness support, was offered accommodation. This led to student housing, B&Bs, and even holiday rentals being opened up to provide safe shelter for those who would have otherwise been left on the streets during the uncertain early weeks of the pandemic.
Sean Palmer, Executive Director of Transformation at the homeless charity St Mungo's, based in central London, described how these emergency measures played a crucial role in almost ending rough sleeping for a brief period. By the beginning of May 2020, over 90% of known rough sleepers had been offered accommodation where they could self-isolate.
However, as time passed and the focus shifted away from homelessness, the situation has unfortunately worsened. As of June 2024, an estimated 8,309 people were sleeping rough in England, an increase of over 1,000 from the previous year. According to Sean, one of the main reasons for this rise is the return to normalcy in the rental market, which has led to more evictions and less housing security for vulnerable individuals.
While there is no one solution to this complex issue, Sean believes that banning no-fault evictions, as proposed in the Renters' Rights Bill currently making its way through parliament, can make a significant difference. He also highlighted the lack of support for those with mental health issues and substance abuse problems as contributing factors to the worsening crisis. Additionally, many people who have recently left asylum accommodation or were released from prison as part of the early release scheme have also ended up on the streets.
Last week, Sir Stephen Timms, the disability and social security minister, visited St Mungo's to see how they support individuals in getting back into work. He emphasized the government's commitment to increasing employment rates and providing more support to help people find sustainable employment. He also mentioned the ongoing efforts to transform job centers, devolving powers to local mayors to develop employment plans, and introducing a youth guarantee for young people.
Sir Stephen also mentioned the upcoming green paper that will address health and disability benefit reforms, with a focus on supporting people to find employment. He acknowledged that the previous system often discouraged individuals from working, and they are working towards changing that.
In December 2020, the Home Office extended the amount of time asylum seekers can stay in government accommodation to combat the rising number of refugees experiencing homelessness. A spokesperson from the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government stated that the government is committed to tackling the homelessness crisis and has allocated £1 billion for additional support. They also mentioned the Deputy Prime Minister's efforts in leading a cross-government group to find long-term solutions to end all forms of homelessness.
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