That this House recognises there is a rough sleeping emergency; highlights with concern the Rough Sleeping Inquiry's findings, published on 14 February 2025, of gaps between public institutions and housing support which put vulnerable people at greater risk of rough sleeping following discharge from health care settings or prison; notes that the inquiry reports that young people in particular are struggling to receive in-person assessments from councils which delays their access to temporary accommodation; agrees with the inquiry’s recommendation for the Government to provide local authorities with long-term funding to tackle homelessness; regrets that the current funding system for rough sleeping prevention is fragmented; further recognises that the loss of affordable social rent and the increase in the number of long-term empty homes are key factors in the rise in homelessness; urges the Government to increase the building of new social homes to 150,000 per year; calls on the Government to assess the capacity of local authorities to address homelessness, especially following the additional financial pressures on their budgets following the Government’s changes to National Insurance Contributions; further urges the Government to introduce a somewhere safe to stay legal duty to ensure that everyone who is at risk of sleeping rough is provided with emergency accommodation and an assessment of their needs; and further calls on the Government to publish a cross-Whitehall plan to end all forms of homelessness.
Signatories (41)
- Vikki Slade Sponsor
- Wera Hobhouse
- Jim Shannon
- Martin Wrigley
- Liz Jarvis
- Claire Young
- Helen Maguire
- Jess Brown-Fuller
- Steff Aquarone
- Adam Dance
- Manuela Perteghella
- Shockat Adam
- Gideon Amos
- Christine Jardine
- Mr Will Forster
- Dr Roz Savage
- Ellie Chowns
- Rachael Maskell
- Sarah Dyke
- Andrew George
- Calum Miller
- Mr Angus MacDonald
- Zöe Franklin
- Mr Lee Dillon
- Luke Taylor
- Ian Sollom
- Alex Brewer
- Lisa Smart
- John McDonnell
- Victoria Collins
- Pippa Heylings
- Sarah Gibson
- Charlotte Cane
- Rachel Gilmour
- Steve Darling
- Brian Mathew
- Dr Danny Chambers
- Dr Al Pinkerton
- Olly Glover
- Max Wilkinson
- Sarah Green