Crisis: 25% rise in people sleeping rough for the first time in London during 2023
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Crisis is urging the next Westminster government to immediately
prioritise tackling the mounting homelessness crisis as numbers
sleeping rough across the capital hit nearly 12,000 New figures
released today (Thursday 27 June 2024) show that nearly 8,000
people were forced to sleep rough for the first time in London last
year, an increase of 25% on the previous year. The figures
highlight how rising rents, a scarcity of genuinely affordable
housing, and struggling...Request free
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Crisis is urging the next Westminster government to immediately prioritise tackling the mounting homelessness crisis as numbers sleeping rough across the capital hit nearly 12,000 New figures released today (Thursday 27 June 2024) show that nearly 8,000 people were forced to sleep rough for the first time in London last year, an increase of 25% on the previous year. The figures highlight how rising rents, a scarcity of genuinely affordable housing, and struggling statutory services are forcing more people into rough sleeping, and homelessness. Figures from the Combined Homelessness and Information Network (CHAIN) show that:
Earlier this week, Crisis released new data showing that demand had soared for its frontline services across Britain (25%), with its service in Brent having seen the biggest rise (44%) over the last year. Crisis has been pushing the major parties on the need to end homelessness with homes. Research commissioned by the charity and the National Housing Federation shows that we need to build an additional 90,000 social rented homes annually for the next 15 years to end homelessness. To achieve the step-change in housing and homelessness needed, Crisis is also calling on the next Government to establish an Office for Ending Homelessness in its first 100 days to coordinate a cross-government plan to end homelessness, including measures on delivering genuinely affordable homes. Immediate actions should include unlocking existing housing through measures to tackle empty homes, and converting unused commercial space into high quality, settled homes would help make more social homes. Alongside this, Crisis wants to see a rollout of specialist support for people with multiple and serious support needs through investment in a national Housing First programme. This would help people rebuild their lives away from the streets and temporary accommodation, which far too many of us are trapped in. Responding to the figures, Matt Downie, Crisis Chief Executive, said: "These figures are deeply shameful and highlight the desperate need for the next government to get a grip on this crisis. "Right now, we're in a perfect storm: sky-high rents, a dire shortage of affordable housing and increased living costs are pushing more people onto the streets. For thousands, this means long nights of trying to stay safe, moving from night bus to night bus or bedding down in a noisy doorway where sleep is all but impossible. None of us should have to experience this. "But the next government has the power to change things. By rapidly increasing the supply of good quality, genuinely affordable housing, alongside investing in specialist services, we can help people to leave the streets behind. "Only with bold ambition and sheer determination will we create a future free from homelessness." -Ends- Notes to Editor Today, Thursday 27 June 2024, the Combined Homelessness and Information Network (CHAIN) statistics have been published, showing levels of rough sleeping across London for the year 2023/24.
Read and download the CHAIN 2023/24 figures and report here. So far, the major parties have committed to the following: Conservatives
Labour
Liberal Democrats
Green Party
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