Homeless scheme not leading to permanent accommodation

New figures seen by the BBC show that fewer than one in four homeless people housed by the government's Everyone In scheme have moved into permanent accommodation.

The initiative provided over 37,000 rough sleepers with a place to stay during the pandemic. But housing charity Shelter has warned that many were still in temporary homes or may even be back on the streets.

Shelter submitted Freedom of Information requests to every local authority in England to find out what had happened to those helped by Everyone In, which was launched in March 2020 as the pandemic hit the country.

The data reveals that more than three quarters of those initially accommodated, approximately 29,000 people, were in emergency or temporary accommodation, had reconnected with friends or family, or were likely to have returned to the streets.

Shelter says that the gains made from the ‘watershed’ scheme are at risk of being ‘squandered’ if the government does not ensure accommodation becomes permanent.

Shelter has called on the government to provide ongoing, dedicated funding to local authorities to ensure its commitment to end rough sleeping can be met, along with more rough sleeping support and a "new generation" of social homes.

Polly Neate, chief executive of Shelter, said: "We're gravely concerned that with funding for Everyone In running out, and councils returning to 'business as usual', we will see people forced out onto the streets. It would be a travesty if we allowed rough sleeping to slide back to pre-pandemic levels. The government needs to get a grip on this situation urgently and look at what comes next."