Our key asks to government

Ending homelessness must be a key priority for the new government.

Our key asks to government

Ending homelessness must be a key priority for the new government.

Committing to ending homelessness

Following the General Election on 4 July 2024, we have a new Labour government in the UK. 

With rough sleeping increasing by 27% in a year, record numbers in temporary accommodation and almost 80,000 households homeless or at risk of it in the last quarter, it is vital that measures to end this crisis are fundamental commitments. 

We will continue to press these issues on a national level, working with partners across the sector and using both our clients’ voices and our expertise.

Extend and uplift funding to tackle rough sleeping and homelessness

Local authority funding for non-statutory homelessness services and Rough Sleeping Initiative (RSI) funding allocations should be uplifted and extended.
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Protect renters from homelessness

The private rented sector is the form of housing which is seeing the largest increase in people at risk of homelessness. The Renters’ Reform Bill must be reintroduced to protect renters from homelessness.
Read more

Reform practices to prevent homelessness from Government institutions

Reform practices to reduce the number of people becoming homeless when leaving institutions such as hospital, prison or home office accommodation.
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Align benefits to help people into housing and ensure people in work are not penalised

Lift the benefit cap to allow people to claim their full entitlement under LHA rates and create parity between the taper rates of Housing Benefit and Universal credit, setting them at 55% to make work pay.
Read more

Support an integrated approach to homelessness, addressing unmet health and care needs

Unmet health and care needs are a cause and consequence of homelessness. Reform our health system to prioritise people with multiple complex needs.
Read more

Commit to delivering the sector target of building 90,000 social rented homes a year

We need a long term plan for housing, including the sector recommended target of building 90,000 social rented homes per year.
Read more

Committing to ending homelessness

Following the General Election on 4 July 2024, we have a new Labour government in the UK. 

With rough sleeping increasing by 27% in a year, record numbers in temporary accommodation and almost 80,000 households homeless or at risk of it in the last quarter, it is vital that measures to end this crisis are fundamental commitments. 

We will continue to press these issues on a national level, working with partners across the sector and using both our clients’ voices and our expertise.

Extend and uplift funding to tackle rough sleeping and homelessness

Local authority funding for non-statutory homelessness services and Rough Sleeping Initiative (RSI) funding allocations should be uplifted and extended.
Read more

Protect renters from homelessness

The private rented sector is the form of housing which is seeing the largest increase in people at risk of homelessness. The Renters’ Reform Bill must be reintroduced to protect renters from homelessness.
Read more

Reform practices to prevent homelessness from Government institutions

Reform practices to reduce the number of people becoming homeless when leaving institutions such as hospital, prison or home office accommodation.
Read more

Align benefits to help people into housing and ensure people in work are not penalised

Lift the benefit cap to allow people to claim their full entitlement under LHA rates and create parity between the taper rates of Housing Benefit and Universal credit, setting them at 55% to make work pay.
Read more

Support an integrated approach to homelessness, addressing unmet health and care needs

Unmet health and care needs are a cause and consequence of homelessness. Reform our health system to prioritise people with multiple complex needs.
Read more

Commit to delivering the sector target of building 90,000 social rented homes a year

We need a long term plan for housing, including the sector recommended target of building 90,000 social rented homes per year.
Read more

Our open letter to the Government

Rough sleeping has increased by 120% since 2010, and almost 80,000 households are experiencing, or at risk of, homelessness.

Despite this, critical funding for homelessness services is due to end in April 2025, leaving services like ours at risk of closure.

Read our open letter calling on government to prevent the financial cliff edge for vital homelessness services.

Our open letter to the Government

Rough sleeping has increased by 120% since 2010, and almost 80,000 households are experiencing, or at risk of, homelessness.

Despite this, critical funding for homelessness services is due to end in April 2025, leaving services like ours at risk of closure.

Read our open letter calling on government to prevent the financial cliff edge for vital homelessness services.

Protect renters from homelessness.

Protect renters from homelessness by raising standards, increasing affordability and improving security of tenure for private rented homes.

The private rented sector is the form of housing which is seeing the largest increase in those at risk of homelessness. The next government must reintroduce the Renters’ Reform Bill with comprehensive measures to protect renters from homelessness.

Reform practices to prevent homelessness from government institutions.

Between July and December 2023, there was an 965.91% increase in those sleeping rough who had left Asylum Support in the previous 85 days.

The next government should therefore extend the move on period for newly recognised refugees from the 28 days to at least 56 days to bring it in line with local authorities’ duties under the Homelessness Reduction Act.

They should also review practices to reduce homelessness amongst prison and hospital leavers.

Align benefits to help people into housing and remove disincentives to work.

The next government must increase the benefit cap to allow people to claim their full LHA entitlement to help them into housing.

Housing Benefit and Universal credit taper rates must also have parity and be set at 55% and the Housing Benefit disregard should be increased to make work pay for those in supported housing.

Support an integrated approach to homelessness, addressing unmet health needs.

The next government should reform our health system to prioritise people with multiple complex needs and address unmet health needs which are a cause and consequence of homelessness; requiring Integrated Care Boards to have a dedicated focus on tackling health inequalities for inclusion health populations, with sustainable ring-fenced funding.

Boost the delivery of affordable and social housing for the long term.

Without a long term plan for appropriate, and affordable housing, the homelessness crisis will not end.

To help break the cycle, a new government must commit to delivering the sector recommended target of building 90,000 social rented homes a year and to a 10 year plan and significant grant funding to meet housing need.

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