The Salvation Army is warning that figures showing a drop-in
people sleeping rough does not mean we have averted a
homelessness crisis.
The
CHAIN
figures show that 3,444 rough sleepers were recorded by
outreach teams in Greater London between July and September 2020
(a 14 per cent drop on the same quarter last year), with more
than half being new rough sleepers (1,901 - an eight per cent
decrease on the same quarter last year).
Lorrita Johnson, The Salvation Army's Director of Homelessness
Services, said:
“While we are delighted that that the figures show fewer people
slept rough between (July and September 2020), this short-term
gain could still lead to a long-term crisis unless the Government
acts now.
“November’s one year Spending Review is the Government’s chance
to ensure it does not reverse the gains made by the ‘Everyone In’
initiative, which protected rough sleepers from the pandemic.
“Getting ‘everyone in’ is only part of that solution as people
need support to overcome the reasons they ended up rough sleeping
in the first place. Nobody chooses a life on the streets, but
they find themselves sleeping rough for lots of complicated
reasons, including poor mental health, bereavement, unemployment,
fleeing abuse and addiction.
“Without sustained support, our experience tells us that these
vulnerable people may end up back on the streets.
“In addition to people sleeping rough, this crisis also covers
people forced to live in council-funded emergency accommodation
like B&Bs. The economic fall out of the pandemic will lead to
fewer jobs and greater personal debt which will increase levels
of homelessness, leading to more families sharing cramped
temporary accommodation.
“Not only will this be devastating for vulnerable families, it
will also be incredibly expensive. In 2019/20 alone, local
authorities spent over £1 billion on temporary accommodation (1).
The Government must act bravely and invest now to prevent a bleak
future for thousands of people.
“Our recently published report 'Future-Proof the Roof' sets out a
blueprint for a new approach to investment in homelessness and
rough sleeping, which will allow the Government to maintain the
recent progress made through the ‘Everyone In’ initiative and
provide added protection against the wider economic downturn
caused by Covid-19.
The Salvation Army is calling on the Government to begin this
process at November’s Spending Review.”
Key recommendations from Future-Proof the Roof include:
• Introducing a CHAIN type recording system in city regions
outside of London with high levels of rough sleeping, so that the
Government can accurately calculate the level of investment
required to end rough sleeping during this Parliament in line
with its manifesto commitment.
• Using the upcoming one-year Spending Review to reaffirm its
commitment to the ‘Everyone In’ initiative by ensuring that its
investment in homelessness and rough sleeping over the coming
financial year does not fall below the £700 million invested in
2020/21.
• Ensuring that the social security system prevents rather than
causes homelessness and rough sleeping, by maintaining the recent
increase in the Local Housing Allowance (LHA), so that people can
afford to rent at least three in every ten of the most affordable
properties in any given area.
ENDS
Notes to Editors:
New data published last Thursday shows that in 2019/20 local
authorities spent £1.2bn on temporary accommodation, with the
majority going to private landlords.
