LGA responds to government funding allocated for new homes for rough sleepers

“Councils continue to work tirelessly to get people sleeping rough off the streets and into safe accommodation. It is good the Government has announced allocations for funding to secure desperately-needed new homes for people in emergency accommodation.

“We urge government to also temporarily remove the No Recourse to Public Funds condition. This would reduce public health risks and ease the pressure on homelessness services by enabling vulnerable people to access welfare benefits, who are currently unable to do so because of their immigration status.

“Councils also want to see a government shift towards investing in measures needed to prevent homelessness from happening in the first place.

“This includes giving councils the powers to build the desperately-needed new generation of social housing the country needs and restoring local welfare funding so councils can provide preventative support to all households who need it.”