June 27th 2023.
Outrageous figures have emerged showing that the number of homeless people on London's streets has risen by a fifth in a single year. A report by the Combined Homelessness and Information Network found 10,053 people were sleeping on London's streets between April 2022 and March 2023. This is a shocking increase of 21% from the 8,329 recorded in the same period in the previous year.
Mayor Sadiq Khan expressed his deep concern over the situation, describing it as 'extremely alarming'. The report also found that the number of first-time rough sleepers had risen by almost a quarter from 5,091 to 6,391, while those who had been sleeping rough for two consecutive years or more was up by almost a third from 1,205 to 2,084.
In light of this, Prince William has taken matters into his own hands and launched 'Homeward', a five-year programme delivered by the Royal Foundation, with the aim of demonstrating the possibility of ending homelessness. As part of the initiative, Lambeth has been identified as one of six flagship areas where partnerships between councils, businesses, charities, and individuals will be developed.
In response to the prince's initiative, a spokeswoman for the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities said, “We are giving councils £2bn over three years, to help them tackle homelessness and rough sleeping, targeted to areas where it is needed most.”
Mayor Khan has also called on the government to get a grip on the cost of living crisis, restore the social security safety net, and invest in more council and genuinely affordable homes. He has also requested to be granted the power to introduce a system of rent controls that will work for London.
In summary, the news of an alarming rise in homelessness in London has been met with a variety of responses, from Prince William's 'Homeward' programme to the government's pledge of £2bn over the next three years. Now it is time for us all to take action and help make a real difference.
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