Homeless Link has issued an immediate response to the Chancellor's 2026 Budget statement. Further analysis of the details of the Budget and implications for our members will be shared in the coming days and weeks.
Responding to the Chancellor's Budget statement, Homeless Link Director of Social Chane Fiona Colley stated
"The extra funding to end rough sleeping confirmed today is a welcome demonstration of the scale of ambition this Government has on ending homelessness. Now, to turn that ambition into action, homelessness prevention and long-term thinking must drive policy choices across Government.
“We need a sustainable funding system that empowers the people working in services dedicated to ending and preventing homelessness across the country to scale up their efforts.
“The Value for Money Review of homelessness funding is an opportunity we must take to start prioritising homelessness solutions which we know work: wraparound support, expanding Housing First provision, investing in high quality supported housing, moving towards a housing-led approach and - critically - putting prevention first.
Although the Budget gives us a good platform to build on, and all measures to help reduce the cost-of-living are welcome as preventative tools, the Chancellor missed an opportunity to announce measures that would meaningfully help to prevent homelessness, including failing to unfreeze Local Housing Allowance rates.
“Taken in the round however, the funding announced today and the positivity of the Prime Minister’s Rough Sleeping Summit on Monday speak to a generational opportunity to turn the tide on unacceptable levels of homelessness. Homeless Link and all our members will be relentless in working with all branches of Government to ensure we take that opportunity.”
