Mayor of London convenes emergency rough sleeping summit

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has convened an emergency roundtable with the minister for homelessness and rough sleeping, Rushanara Ali MP, boroughs and leaders from the NHS, local government, homelessness charities and former rough sleepers to officially launch a call for evidence that will inform his plan of action on rough sleeping in London.

The plan of action, which is due to be launched next year aims to establish a shared mission for ending rough sleeping, including the scale of funding required and the best mechanisms for achieving this ambition by 2030.

Khan is warning that the scale of the challenge and the legacy of years of underinvestment from the previous Government in housing and support means that things could get worse this winter before they get better.

A new initiative has been announced, which builds on the Mayor’s Clearing House scheme and is being delivered by City Hall, with funding for support to help more Londoners in their recovery from homelessness.

The ‘Homes off the Streets’ initiative is backed by £4.8 million and aims to ensure that former rough sleepers at 3,500 properties across the capital can support themselves and stay off the streets for good. It will provide advice and support in areas such as accessing financial advice, applying for benefits and using public services.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “We know we can bring down rough sleeping – it’s exactly what was done during the pandemic, and also two decades ago.

“However, with rough sleeping in London and across the country on the rise, the reality is that the situation will get worse before it gets better.

“Today I am bringing together Ministers, boroughs and leaders from the NHS, local government, homelessness charities and former rough sleepers, so we can work hand-in-hand to tackle this growing emergency. Providing funding to get vulnerable people off the streets and helping them to start rebuilding their lives is at the centre of our plan.

“There’s so much more we need to do at all levels of Government and wider society – as we work together to build a better, fairer, more prosperous London for everyone.”

Minister for homelessness, Rushanara Ali said: “To end homelessness for good we must tackle its root causes, not just its symptoms. We can only do this by working together across government, with councils, charities, experts, and front-line services.

“This is why the summit is so important because not only will it bring all these stakeholders together, but we will also hear from those with first-hand experience of homelessness to help inform the Government’s long-term strategy to get us back on track to ending homelessness for good.”