Hertsmere council concerned over growing number of people found homeless
The Leader of Hertsmere Council is concerned more residents may be found on the street as homelessness grows.
The Leader of Hertsmere Borough Council, in Hertfordshire, is concerned more people may end up on the street as they report an increase in homelessness.
Current pressures related to the cost-of-living, housing, and mortgage crises are believed to be linked to homelessness.
Council Leader Jeremy Newmark said: "It's not just renters that are being impacted, we're seeing people affected by the mortgage crisis, rising interest rates, so it's almost as if the mortgage crisis has uncovered a whole new layer to an already existing problem."
"...the way to solve homelessness is about a decent supply of permanent affordable social housing."
In addition, the Local Housing Allowance freeze and lack of social housing are making it harder for the Council to put people into accommodation, and adding to private renters' difficulties in paying their rent.
Although the Council are working closely with charities across the county to support those in need, Jeremy Newmark believes more could be done on a Government level to reverse this worrying trend.
He said: "We have shifted our whole mode of working towards early intervention but at the end of the day, the way to solve homelessness is about a decent supply of permanent affordable social housing."
"...homelessness prevention grants are not high enough to enable us to do the prevention work that we need to do."
"That supply continues to fall, these homes are in incredibly short supply, and until we address that at the core of this problem, it's only going to get worse."
"It's about the fact that Local Housing Allowance rates aren't high enough to deliver in terms of market rent and homelessness prevention grants are not high enough to enable us to do the prevention work that we need to do."
The Local Housing Allowance, also known as LHA, is a rate which is calculated based on the area a person lives in, which determines how much Housing Benefit or Housing Element (within Universal Credit) can be claimed for private rented accommodation.
Mr Newmark assures higher LHA could help reduce pressures within the county.
Alongside other councillors across the country, Mr Newmark signed an open letter, addressed to the Prime Minister, calling on the government to increase funding to tackle homelessness.