“Government support packages such as the temporary eviction ban and £20 Universal Credit uplift have been incredibly helpful throughout the pandemic, but with these now no longer in place, a cross-departmental plan around long-term social and financial resilience and homelessness prevention is urgently needed."
Responding to a Crisis report warning of a potential rise in homelessness as a result of the impact of withdrawing pandemic protections, Cllr David Renard, housing spokesperson for the Local Government Association, said:
“Councils work incredibly hard on preventing homelessness and offering support to those who tragically find themselves in a difficult situation.
“Government support packages such as the temporary eviction ban and £20 Universal Credit uplift have been incredibly helpful throughout the pandemic, but with these now no longer in place, a cross-departmental plan around long-term social and financial resilience and homelessness prevention is urgently needed.
“As part of this plan, we would support removing the freeze and reviewing Local Housing Allowance rates, alongside new protections through the Renters Reform Bill, to ensure the private rented sector is accessible and secure for families coming through homelessness services.
“In the long term, creating more social housing is more important than ever. We want to see plans to give councils powers to build 100,000 social homes a year. This would shorten council housing waiting lists, reduce homelessness and support net zero ambitions, while delivering a multi-billion long-term boost to the economy.”