Florence Eshalomi (left), Housing, Communities and Local Government Select Committee Chair pictured with Homeless Link Director of Social Change Fiona Colley (right) at our Parliamentary Drop-In.
On Monday 29 June the Homeless Link team headed to Parliament to share the findings of our flagship annual report, Support to End Homelessness.
With the upcoming Treasury-led Value for Money Review of homelessness spending beginning soon, we specifically focused on explaining to MPs and peers that this review must be understood as an opportunity to resolve the long-standing financial issues holding back homelessness support services.
The Support to End Homelessness report provides amble evidence of financial pressures that are forcing homelessness charities to close or reduce services.
We also explored a range of other issues highlighted by the report, such as rising in-work homelessness, the extra demand for immigration advice homelessness services are experiencing, and issues with barriers to accessing health and social care.
As well as sharing the issues faced by homelessness services, we shared with MPs the excellent work that our members are delivering across the country in spite of these challenges. For example, our report shows 87% of people leaving homelessness accommodation move to a tenancy rather than returning to homelessness.
Over a dozen MPs and peers attended in total, including senior Ministers, the Co-Chair of the APPG on Ending Homelessness, and the Chair of the Housing, Communities and Local Government Select Committee.
A number of MPs attended specifically following requests from members of our Campaigns Network, so thank you to anyone who reached out to their local MPs and helped grow the impact of our event.
We will continue to work in Westminster and elsewhere to shape the Value for Money review of homelessness services and other elements of Government policy as part of our Breaking the Cycle campaign. To get involved in our advocacy work, anyone working for a Homeless Link member can join our Campaigns Network.
