Government planning to quietly scrap homeless scheme

Reports have suggested that the government’s funding of an emergency programme to house rough sleepers in hotels during the coronavirus pandemic is to be scrapped.

Manchester Evening News reports that the Ministry for Communities, Housing & Local Government has ‘drawn a line’ under its drive to accommodate all rough sleepers, and has told councils it will no longer be funded centrally.

The government denies reneging on its commitments, but that Greater Manchester sources spoken to by the newspaper said it had been made clear the current scheme was now being wrapped up, a position laid out in the internal report.

In March, Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick announced £3.2 million for councils to help homeless people to self isolate, whilst directing local authorities to house rough sleepers in hotels in order to protect them from the pandemic.

Approximately 5,400 rough sleepers have been moved into hotels since lockdown in England and Wales after the government issued an ‘everyone in’ directive to councils. There are now growing questions about the long-term sustainability of this emergency exercise and uncertainty about the plans for permanent housing once hotels go back to their normal function.

Jon Sparkes, chief executive of Crisis, said: “It’s completely unacceptable that people are being left abandoned on our streets, and that people are at risk of being kicked out of hotels because councils lack the funds for them to stay. There is still a deadly virus out there and, while it’s to be commended that over 5,400 people have been given safe, temporary accommodation, the job simply isn’t finished. In London alone, hundreds remain on the streets – no provision has been made for them and it’s a desperate situation with many left hungry, isolated and at risk.

“The initial emergency response to the outbreak showed what can be done when the political will and leadership from central government is there – but if we retreat into a failed ‘business as usual’, handing the issue back to overstretched local councils with no ring-fenced funding, then we let down not just the thousands experiencing homelessness today, but many thousands more at risk from the economic downturn we are entering.”