“Ending homelessness remains a top priority for councils."
Responding to the Cover the Cost campaign run by Crisis, which is calling on the Government to invest in housing benefit to protect thousands of households from financial hardship and homelessness, Cllr Richard Watts, Chair of the Local Government Association’s Resources Board, said:
“Ending homelessness remains a top priority for councils.
“The widening gap between incomes and rents and the freeze on Local Housing Allowance rates has led to financial hardship, in-work poverty and homelessness, placing unsustainable costs on councils in meeting their housing commitments.
“Giving councils the powers and funding to increase the supply of rented housing and provide a safety net are vital components of any long-term government solution to our homelessness crisis.
“Renters need access to homes that are affordable. We urge the Government to use this week’s Spending Round to commit to restoring LHA rates to at least the 30th percentile of rents when the freeze ends next year. This will give families across the country improved access to the affordable homes that they so desperately need.”