WIREDGOV

Cllr David Renard, Housing spokesman for the Local Government Association, responded to the report by the Housing, Communities and Local Government Select Committee on the need for a comprehensive national strategy to prevent rough sleepers and homeless people returning to the streets 

“It has been a monumental effort by councils to get most rough sleepers and homeless people off the streets. Councils want to take this opportunity to change the lives of our most vulnerable residents and stand ready to work with government on a national plan to move people into safe housing with access to wider support they might need for substance dependency and help with benefits, skills and getting work. 

“We are pleased that the Committee has backed our call for councils to be able to spend 100 per cent of money from Right to Buy sales and combine receipts with other government funding pots. This, alongside extending the deadline to spend the money to at least five years, is critical to allow councils to get on with the job of building the new homes that people in their areas desperately need. 

“MPs are also right to recognise the need for councils to have ongoing and consistent funding from government in the weeks and months ahead. This, alongside continued flexibility to decide locally how best to spend it, is vital so they can tackle the specific pressures they face in their local area, including homelessness and rough sleeping.” 

Impact of COVID-19 (Coronavirus) on homelessness and the private rented sector