14 COMMENT


Unprecedented challenges ahead


Patrick Mooney Housing Consultant


The social sector faces unprecedented level of challenges to deliver the Government’s tough housing agenda


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THE SUPPLY OF NEW SOCIAL AND AFFORDABLE HOMES NEEDS TO INCREASE SIGNIFICANTLY


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ecord levels of homelessness are pushing many councils’ revenue budgets to breaking point as the housing system buckles under the strain of unprecedented demand for its services.


Help has now been promised and billions of pounds are to be invested by the Government, but the solutions will inevitably take time to be delivered and it could be several years before we see signifi cant inroads being made More than 350,000 people are currently staying in unsuitable and very costly temporary accommodation, such as overcrowded and dirty B&Bs. Meanwhile there are over 1.3 million households across the country stuck on local authority waiting lists for the offer of a tenancy on a social rented home, which promises both lower rents and greater security than the private rented sector. In an effort to make a real change to the lives of a signifi cant number of these people the Government has recently issued two big policy changes - a new homelessness strategy designed to end the use of B&Bs and a new investment plan to build at least 280,000 new social and affordable homes over the net fi ve years


ENDING THE USE OF B&BS


The Government launched its long-awaited National Plan to End Homelessness, a strategy promised in its election manifesto


and supported by £3.5bn of new funding. Its main objectives are to: • Halve the number of people sleeping rough long term


• End the unlawful use of B&Bs for families • Prevent “thousands” more households from becoming homeless in the fi rst place


In a bid to prevent more households from becoming homeless, the Government will bring forward legislation for a new ‘duty to collaborate’ that will require public bodies to work together to prevent homelessness, particularly where it is linked to people being discharged from prisons, social care and hospitals. Homelessness among these groups has increased by a staggering 22% in the last year.


There are many thousands of children staying long-term in B&Bs right now even though the existing law already sets a six-week limit on the length of their stays. In addition to the new prevention measures, the strategy will boost the supply of “good-quality” temporary homes, backed by £950m through the fourth round of the Local Authority Housing Fund.


The Government also said it will work to improve the “quality and suitability” of temporary accommodation by enforcing “strong protections” against poor housing conditions, including out-of-area placements.


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