Sheffield homeless shelter warns benefit cuts could force it to close

A Sheffield homeless shelter says dozens of people could be left on the streets if the charity's housing benefit is cut.

Up to a billion pounds could be cut from benefits paid to centres for vulnerable people under government plans.

Graham Bostock from Emmaus says the impact would be huge: “**Just our one project alone with 18 people - 18 formerly homeless people - would again be homeless. Once again the bill being picked up by the tax payer. If we’re looking at just cost alone it’s crazy - it just doesn’t add up at all.

“If hostels close down one after another, which they would do without housing benefit, these people will be back on the streets. Basically, we would be back in a scenario where they would be needing extra health care. Some would become a public nuisance because they couldn’t handle the problems they’ve got.

“You would have all these people thrown out into the street with nothing. The human cost, you just couldn’t measure it, it’s crazy."

New research by Wentworth and Dearne MP John Healey suggest almost 80,000 families a year could become homeless by 2020 unless measures are taken to address spiralling homelessness.

The former shadow housing minister says this is in addition to those sleeping rough on the streets, the number of which has doubled in the last five years.

A Government spokesman said:

“This is unnecessary scaremongering. The truth is statutory homelessness remains less than half the 2003-04 peak, but we know one person without a home is one too many.

“That's why we are investing over £500m to both tackle homelessness and prevent it happening in the first place. We also continue to spend around £90bn a year on working age benefits, to ensure a strong safety net for the most vulnerable.

“The causes of homelessness are varied and complex, so across Government we are considering how to improve services, including around mental health and addiction support.”

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