Burnham to focus on root causes of homelessness

Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, has announced the Greater Manchester Homelessness Prevention Strategy to tackle the root causes of homelessness in the region.

The draft strategy, released for public consultation, shows how the drive to end rough sleeping and homelessness will broaden in the Burnham’s second term to address the root causes of homelessness, such as poor quality, insecure housing.

Greater Manchester Combined Authority will work to deliver 30,000 zero-carbon homes for social rent, with a detailed delivery plan to be published within a year. A new commitment to work to radically improve temporary accommodation standards has also been announced, with a focus on improved experiences for homeless families.

Launched in autumn 2018, A Bed Every Night, the city-region’s ambitious and innovative approach to tackling rough sleeping and supporting people from the streets, still regularly accommodates roughly 520 people every night across Greater Manchester.

Building upon that vital work, the new Greater Manchester Homelessness Prevention Strategy sets out a clear path for rapid action to radically reduce all forms of homelessness in the city-region, including working to end rough sleeping. Targeted investment will result in the development of around 300 accommodation units for people who have been sleeping rough, sited in boroughs across the city-region. Implementation of the Strategy will involve local and regional activity, and working with national government.

Burnham said: “We have reduced the number of people sleeping rough but there is no room for complacency. The Eviction Ban will end at some point and we know there has been a rise in the number of people are in rent arrears. We need to be ready to support people and prevent homelessness wherever we can.

“This is why the time is right to bring forward Greater Manchester’s first Homelessness Prevention Strategy. As well as continuing to provide support for people sleeping rough, we need to broaden our focus to the root causes of homelessness. We know that the single biggest cause of homelessness in Greater Manchester is eviction from private-rented housing. We need to raise standards in the private-rented sector and provide better protection for renters. That’s why we are placing a new Greater Manchester Good Landlord Charter at the heart of our plans. Alongside our commitment to build more homes for social rent, it will help us deliver our goal of good, secure homes for all of our residents.”

The public consultation of the new draft Greater Manchester Homelessness Prevention Strategy will run until 26 June.