Council leaders call for more homelessness funding

Councils across England are calling for more help from government to tackle homelessness

A petition calling on the government for help with a “homelessness and temporary accommodation crisis” has been signed by 119 council leaders.

It follows a summit hosted by Eastbourne Borough Council and the District Councils' Network on 31 October.

They have asked Chancellor Jeremy Hunt for additional funding for homelessness prevention and an increase to Local Housing Allowance payments.

The government said it has provided local authorities with £1bn to help prevent the need for people to be put into temporary accommodation.

It comes after Home Secretary Suella Braverman was criticised by homeless charities for proposing new laws to restrict the use of tents by homeless people.

The plan would introduce new penalties in England and Wales for homeless people who authorities believe have rejected offers of help.

Ms Braverman said: "What I want to stop, and what the law-abiding majority wants us to stop, is those who cause nuisance and distress to other people by pitching tents in public spaces, aggressively begging, stealing, taking drugs, littering and blighting our communities."

Eastbourne Borough Council leader Stephen Holt said: “I have no doubt that the chancellor and the prime minister understand this is threatening the very future of services that support and maintain hundreds of thousands of vulnerable residents.

"They cannot allow the safety net we provide to fail, they must act now.

“I am also grateful that so many authorities have responded so quickly and positively to our joint letter. We are all in agreement, this is a national crisis.”

Hannah Dalton, the District Councils’ Network housing spokesperson, said: “Councils simply do not have the money to cope with this surge of demand for temporary accommodation and without action from Jeremy Hunt they will have no option but to cut services.

"Such is the scale of the problem that some councils will find themselves effectively bankrupt.

“Unless action is taken in the autumn statement, society’s most vulnerable people will continue to be hit hardest — the lifeline that their councils offer them will collapse and there will be a knock-on impact on other public services, including the NHS."

Councils say covering the cost of a surge in homelessness could leave them effectively bankrupt

In their letter, council leaders have asked Mr Hunt for an increase in local housing allowance rates to a level that covers at least 30% of local market rent, an additional £300m for discretionary housing payments for the next two financial years and a £150m top-up to the homelessness prevention grant for 2024-25.

A government spokesperson said: “Local authorities have seen an increase in core spending power of up to £5.1bn or 9.4% in cash terms on 2022-23, with almost £60bn available for local government in England.

“We are committed to reducing the need for temporary accommodation by preventing homelessness before it occurs in the first place, which is why we are providing councils with £1bn through the Homelessness Prevention Grant over three years."