With the Government pledging to release a new Homelessness Strategy in the coming months, Homeless Link’s new Breaking the Cycle policy briefing sets out a roadmap to move from crisis towards a country free from homelessness.
As homelessness reaches record levels, Homeless Link are urging Ministers to take this opportunity to fundamentally reset the country’s approach to homelessness.
That reset involves a twin focus on addressing the current emergency and setting out a 10-year plan to build a system which can effectively end homelessness. Critically, the plan calls for the strategy to make all arms of government accountable for delivering on ending homelessness.
The full Breaking the Cycle briefing can be read here. A short two-page summary is also available.
Commenting on Homeless Link’s hopes for the new Homelessness Strategy as set out in the new policy briefing, Homeless Link Director of Social Change Fiona Colley states.
“With new Ministers in place following the reshuffle, we’re renewing our call for all arms of Government to get behind building and delivering a strategy that can move us from crisis towards a country free from homelessness.”
“Any strategy needs to start in the present. And right now, we’re facing a perfect storm of more people than ever experiencing homelessness, while homelessness support services are closing down due to lack of funds.”
“But the new Homelessness Strategy also needs to set out a vision of how we create a system that can end homelessness for good. It is critical Ministers recognise that ending the current costly cycle of crisis is the necessary first step in building that better system.”
“Because by reducing record levels of homelessness, services will have more capacity and resource to invest in long-term, well-evidenced solutions, such as Housing First and high-quality supported accommodation schemes. And more resource can be dedicated to prevention – which is by far the best outcome for people at risk of homelessness and the most cost-effective intervention for Government.”
“Crucially, this effort will only work if all arms of government are held accountable for their performance on ending homelessness. In the past few weeks alone, we’ve seen the Home Office implement a policy reversal on the asylum move on period which will directly lead to increased rough sleeping.”
“Homeless Link has been pleased to feed into the Homelessness Strategy alongside others as part of the Homelessness Minister’s Expert Group of advisors. We continue to offer our support to develop and implement a strategy that gives our 750+ members the tools to build a country without homelessness.”
Homeless Link is also co-sponsoring an event with the Riverside Group at Labour Party Conference which will explore these issues further.
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