New policies could end homelessness within 10 years

Homeless charity Crisis has claimed that the UK could create an end to homelessness within 10 years if the government embraces certain policies.

Everybody In: How to end homelessness in Great Britain establishes a comprehensive plan to make homelessness ‘a thing of the past’ and argues that 100,500 social homes need to be built each year for the next 15 years.

With approximately 236,000 homeless people living across England, Wales and Scotland, including those living in unsuitable temporary accommodation, the reports also suggests that a national roll-out of Housing First, which aims to provide more than 18,000 homeless people with homes and a package of specialised support, could help eradicate the problem.

Amongst the other proposals, Crisis suggests better rights for private renters and a reform to housing benefit, to protect people once they have been housed; hospitals, prisons, the care system, and other parts of the state to be legally required to help find homes for those leaving their care; and for Job Centres to have homelessness specialists.

Jon Sparkes, chief executive of Crisis, said: “For the first time ever, we have a comprehensive plan that shows exactly how we can address the root causes of homelessness and make it a thing of the past. Other parts of the world are taking huge strides towards ending it, and Britain can too."