News

A chronic shortage of affordable housing is forcing cash-strapped councils to spend more than £2 million a day on temporary accommodation for homeless families, analysis by the Local Government Association reveals today.

Cllr Martin Tett, the Local Government Association’s Housing spokesman, responds to Centrepoint’s report on Young People and Homelessness.

Homelessness is everyone’s business, and councils need the help of health, employment, and housing partners to deliver ambitions to end it.

"This should, for now, reassure worried tenants and allay the serious concerns councils have had over the potential risk of homelessness some private renters may have faced."

"It is vital that the Spending Review shifts the Government’s focus towards the key drivers of homelessness, including a lack of affordable housing, welfare-related poverty, and a lack of an integrated prevention approach."

Today’s announcement shows that the Government has listened to our calls and continued to fund homelessness services

“It’s vital we move towards tackling our collective ambition to end homelessness outright."

“These figures highlight the extreme pressures homelessness services continue to be under, as a result of rising demand driven by a severe shortage of social housing."

Local Government Association’s Housing spokesman, Cllr David Renard, responds to the latest homelessness statistics showing the number of households living in temporary accommodation.

“Homelessness is a tragedy, as a settled home is crucial to health and wellbeing for individuals and families, and is a central cornerstone of successful communities."