Commons report finds homeless people ‘badly treated’

A report by the Communities and Local Government (CLG) select committee has claimed that councils are sending away homeless people without any meaningful guidance.

The committee has consequently called for a government-wide strategy to address the increase in homelessness caused by the rising cost and limited availability of housing, claiming ‘local authorities also have a big part to play’.

The report suggests that the government should consider setting a statutory duty to provide ‘meaningful support to single homeless people who can prove a local connection’, as this group, specifically, are often treaty poorly.

Cllr Nick Forbes, senior vice chair at the Local Government Association, said:

"Councils want to end homelessness and work hard to support those who become homeless to get into accommodation and, where they can, to prevent it happening in the first place.

"Homelessness is rising as more people struggle to cope with rents spiralling above their incomes. Faced with increasing demand, reducing budgets, falling social housing and wide-ranging welfare reforms, it is clear that councils cannot tackle this challenge alone.

"Local government can succeed in reducing homelessness if given the funding and powers to bring together local housing, health, justice, and employment partners, to address the gaps between household incomes and spiralling rents, and to resume their historic role as a major builder of affordable homes.”