Homelessness won't be tackled without more housing

17 Oct 2014 02:28 PM

Lyons review published yesterday says, without a change of course, the country will be short of up to two million homes by 2020.

Our response

Responding to the report, Jacqui McCluskey, our Director of Policy and Communications said:

"The housing market simply does not work for the poorest and most vulnerable in our society.

"Homeless charities want the task of improving the supply, affordability and quality of housing to be at the top of the next Governments to-do list.

"That's why the Lyons review is so welcome. It provides a clear roadmap for tackling a major cause of homelessness, the chronic shortage of an affordable place to call home."

Key asks

The Lyons Housing Review report 'Mobilising across the nation to build the homes our children need', calls for a number of steps to help build 200,000 homes by 2020 including:

• Strong leadership from central government alongside the delegation of powers, funding and responsibility to communities.
• Measures to tighten the responsibility on councils to increase the supply of land through local plans and to simplify and speed up the planning process.
• A more ambitious approach to garden cities.
• Unlocking the capacity and ambition of housing associations to play a bigger role in investment and delivery of new homes.
• Help for more people to secure their own home through more attractive shared ownership schemes as well as more quality homes to rent.
• Investment in more social and affordable homes so that those on the lowest incomes and the most vulnerable have a secure and decent home.