Government could end homelessness if they learn lessons from the pandemic

There could be a big increase in the numbers of people sleeping on the streets after the pandemic unless the government continues to implement the principles and funding of the ‘Everyone In’ initiative, which was set up to help homeless people during the pandemic.

A new interim report has been looking at the response to homelessness and rough sleeping during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Kerslake Commission on Homelessness and Rough Sleeping has been trying to learn form the government’s ‘Everyone in’ scheme, launched in March 2020, which told local authorities to move people who were sleeping rough into emergency accommodation to protect them from the virus

It’s estimated that 37,000 people were provided with a Covid-secure place to stay, along with access to health and other support services.

The policy has been credited as having saved hundreds of lives.

What should be done now to help rough sleepers?

The Commission has concluded that the Government needs to maintain the additional funding that it made available during the pandemic – equating to £82m a year on top of its previous spending commitment - if it is to have any chance of achieving its pre-election promise to end rough sleeping by the end of this parliament.

The Kerslake Commission received more than 100 evidence submissions from local authorities, from people with lived experience of homelessness and of sleeping rough, as well as from and health, housing and homelessness organisations. It also commissioned two literature reviews into the emergency response.

Today’s interim report, entitled ‘When We Work Together – Learning the Lessons’ gives 22 recommendations. The key points of these are:

• The Government must capture and capitalise on the gains that were made as a result of its ‘Everyone In’ policy and the partnership working which flowed from it as a matter of urgency, and maintain the necessary funding.
• The cross-sector, cross-departmental, momentum initiated by central Government at the start of the pandemic, married with the additional support and resourcing provided since, has clearly demonstrated that street homelessness can be ended.
• Future funding streams made available to local authorities must be more flexible and have longevity if the prevention and long term support measures needed to end rough sleeping are to be effectively and appropriately implemented as determined by local need in a ‘spend to save’ approach.
• That street homelessness is treated as a public health and housing priority which requires a cross-Governmental approach with co-ordination on both strategy and delivery, at all levels.
• To prevent more homelessness and rough sleeping in the future we need to maintain the £20 uplift in Universal Credit and the change to local housing allowance.
• Investing in better and more permanent solutions such as the Housing First initiative alongside the additional spend in temporary accommodation, with wrap around support is vital.

Commission Chair, Lord Kerslake, said: “The Covid-19 pandemic has been the biggest peacetime emergency this country has faced. It has impacted on every single one of our lives and taken a heavy toll, particularly on the most vulnerable.

“There will be many lessons to learn about the response to the pandemic, both from the things that went well and those that didn’t. This Commission is about learning from a policy that, by common consent, did go well – ‘Everyone In’.

“For me, the most important lesson is that with the right combination of Government support and collaboration across, and between, the key service providers, it is possible to end homelessness and rough sleeping.”

Extra money needed to continue the fight against homelessness

Lord Kerslake explained that it was important the publication of the interim report was timed so it could help inform ministers’ thinking and submissions ahead of the Government’s Comprehensive Spending Review expected later in the year.

He said: “The increased funding made available was an important factor in the success of 'Everyone In'. And we estimate that an extra £82m per annum, or 32% on top of the planned increase in rough sleeping reduction spending, would be needed to maintain and build on the advances that have been made. Which is, I think, a small price to pay when you consider what can be achieved and the lives that could be saved.

“Reducing and preventing rough sleeping and homelessness is both the right thing to do and will reduce subsequent costs and pressures on health and other services.

Homelessness could get worse after the pandemic

Commission Chair, Lord Kerslake said:

“If we fail to learn the lessons of 'Everyone In', all the signs from the Commission’s work are that the situation will get worse not better, and homelessness and rough sleeping will increase. That would be an enormous lost opportunity for the Government to deliver on its rough sleeping commitment, and a personal tragedy for those affected.

“We are at a pivotal moment. I fervently hope that the Government does the right thing and takes forward the recommendations in this interim report.”

The Commission’s final report will be published in September

• coronavirus
• homeless