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Homeless Link Excellence Awards 2021 – Winners Announced!
The winners of this year’s Homelessness Awards were announced today at an online celebratory event. -
Homelessness services in 2020: what’s the story (Part One)? Everyone In
Media coverage about rough sleeping in 2020/21 has often focused on the ‘Everyone In’ initiative, and in particular hotel provision for those rough sleeping or at risk of rough sleeping. For part one of our Atlas launch blog series we look in more depth at new data about Everyone In. -
Becoming strengths-based: the four key elements
For the past year, Homeless Link in partnership with Expert Link and Inspire Chilli, has been learning more about strengths-based working. This week we publish the first section of our toolkit, Becoming strengths-based, in which we outline why we think it’s so important and the key principles for working in a strengths-based way. -
New project will develop roadmap for homelessness services working with people with NRPF
Homeless Link with our project partners the No Accommodation Network (NACCOM) are pleased to announce a timely new project aiming to improve the homelessness offer for migrants with No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF) in England. -
Hidden dangers of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill
We set out our concerns about Part 4 of the Police Bill, which could have an important implications for homelessness. -
How can we work together to support people sleeping rough this winter?
With pandemic restrictions lifting, many homelessness organisations are already reporting a rising number of people sleeping rough. Fiona Colley, Director of StreetLink talks about how members of the public can play a role in supporting people sleeping rough this winter. -
This is not how we end rough sleeping: Scrap the new Immigration Rules
Long-awaited guidance has shed light on the new rough sleeping Immigration Rules, but despite attempts to mitigate their worst aspects, Homeless Link remain deeply concerned about the impact they will have on vulnerable non-UK nationals and community trust in homelessness services. -
Changes to the Shared Accommodation Rate Exemption to benefit under 25s
From June this year, more young people have been able to benefit from greater financial support for their housing costs, helping them move on from homelessness for good. Billy Harding, Senior Policy and Research Officer at Centrepoint, talks about what this change means for young people and the campaign that made it happen. -
Respite Rooms: Creating a safe space for women sleeping rough, survivors of domestic abuse
140 single gender spaces will be created as part of a £3.7m fund providing safe accommodation with expert specialist support. We hear from one of our members Basis Yorkshire about what this funding means for the women they support and what key considerations are needed to ensure it delivers for women. -
Applications to the Capital and Revenue streams of the Homelessness Winter Transformation Fund are now open
Enabling small-to-medium sized homelessness charities, community and faith groups and voluntary sector organisations to develop accommodation options that are self-contained, Covid-secure and dignified. -
GP registration, vaccination and protection
Back at the end of last year, we wrote about the need to get people with no home registered with GPs to maximise their chance of timely vaccination against COVID. -
How can I help someone sleeping rough in hot weather?
There’s lots of information about how members of the public can take positive action when they see someone sleeping rough in cold weather. But periods of hot weather can also be harmful for people sleeping rough. Director of StreetLink Fiona Colley discusses what people can do if they are concerned about someone sleeping rough during the summer months. -
Vaccinating frontline workers and clients
Regular readers of Homeless Link blogs will know that earlier this month, we wrote to the Minister for COVID Vaccine Deployment to ask that working with people who have no home is treated as a priority occupation for vaccination, as a matter for urgency. We also asked members to write to their MPs to raise the same issue and many have taken immediate action, including asking their workforce to write to their own MPs. -
Fund launches to increase access to immigration advice for rough sleepers in London
The Greater London Authority (GLA) has announced £233,000 of funding for frontline organisations to support people sleeping rough in London with accessing immigration advice. -
Join our call for vaccinations for homelessness workers
Homeless Link is advocating for roles working with people experiencing homelessness to be treated as a priority occupation for COVID-19 vaccination. Services can help strengthen our call by writing to their local MP. -
Stats summary: MHCLG’s latest homelessness statistics for 2020-2021
On 9 September 2021, MHCLG released the latest statutory homelessness statistics, covering the period from 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2021. The statutory statistics capture data on everyone who has been assessed under the Homelessness Reduction Act, meaning that since 2018 we have been able to see a much more detailed picture of single homelessness. -
Homelessness Winter Transformation Fund 2021/22 is announced
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has announced a £3 million grants fund to enable community and faith groups to provide winter services for people sleeping rough in 2021/22. -
Vagrancy Act Consultation
The government has announced a consultation on the replacement to the vagrancy act. Tell us what you think. -
Now is the time to talk to your council about their RSI funding plans
Local Authorities are currently developing plans that will shape homelessness services for the next three years. The voluntary sector can, and should engage now to share best practice and help shape those services. -
Slow but determined change: Facing up to non-UK national homelessness
Everyone In represented the first time that England had attempted a local authority-led universal homelessness response. The results for non-UK national homelessness were remarkable, but the measures were temporary. Now, as winter provision continues and local authorities plan RSI 2022-25, we must galvanise good practice and advocate clearly and consistently for the changes needed.