Has Britain Done Enough to Tackle Homelessness?

Statistics show that homelessness in Britain is at a record high. 68% of Britons believe the government is not doing enough to tackle it. With youth homelessness on the rise, a housing crisis and a lack of real government initiative, Britain must do more.

Lack of Government concern - Homelessness in Britain is a crisis that has been overlooked over the past decade. The number of rough sleepers in England has increased by 165% since 2010. Despite the obvious need for government concern, effective initiatives have not been produced. Previous governments have significantly improved the situation, with the 1999 Tony Blair Initiative reducing the amount of homelessness from thousands to hundreds in three years. This emphasizes the influence recent governments could have had if not for their ignorance.

A dire lack of affordable housing is impacting the youngest of society

Youth homelessness - As of March 2019 over 126,000 children were being raised in temporary accommodation, a 68% increase since 2010. These temporary housing situations are often reported as unlivable and unacceptable, with theft, overcrowding and bed bugs. Furthermore, another significantly impacted group in temporary accommodation is 18-24-year-olds, accounting for 53%. Hence, a dire lack of affordable housing is impacting the youngest of society. 

Legislation - To tackle homelessness there are two key legislative initiatives the government has been called to take. Firstly, the 200-year-old Vagrancy Act must be removed to decriminalize homeless people. Secondly, there should be a greater commitment to the Housing First initiative, which entails providing accommodation to the homeless until they become independent, which has already been implemented in some local UK projects and overseas. These legislations will prove critical in order to tackle the crisis of homelessness in the UK. 

Recent developments in government funding and policy, as well as aid from charities and the public show that Britain is actively trying to combat the homelessness crisis.

Funding - Under Rishi Sunak, a £654 million funding boost was provided called the Homelessness Prevention Grant to support vulnerable people in England who are homeless or at risk of losing their homes. This funding will help domestic abuse victims, families requiring temporary accommodation, and individuals to pay deposits on new homes. Furthermore, Starmer has committed to funding 1.5 million new homes within the current Parliament, supporting property ownership and reducing the possibility of homelessness.

Starmer has committed to funding 1.5 million new homes within the current Parliament, supporting property ownership and reducing the possibility of homelessness.

Positive Legislation - There have been multiple positive developments in legislation to tackle homelessness. A fundamental policy, the Homelessness Reduction Act in 2018, meant that the type of help councils were expected to provide to prevent homelessness positively transformed by providing relief. In addition, the new Labour government has promised to extend Awaab’s law to the private sector and produced the no-fault eviction bill, reducing the risk of homelessness in the rental sector.

Charities - Where the government has failed to provide funding and assistance, charities have stepped in. For example, Crisis provides education, employment, housing, advice and well-being services to homeless people across the UK. Additionally, Greater Change provides personalized cash grants to help people escape homelessness for good. Without the extra support from these organisations and charities, it is clear that the situation of UK homelessness could have been worse.