Government Unveils £3.5bn Plan to Tackle Rough Sleeping Amid Criticism
The UK government has announced a £3.5bn plan aimed at reducing rough sleeping and halving the number of long-term rough sleepers by the end of the current Parliament.
The strategy focuses on reducing the time families spend in bed and breakfasts, preventing homelessness, and establishing a duty to collaborate among prisons, hospitals, and social care services.
Key measures include a £124 million supported housing scheme intended to help approximately 2,500 people off the streets, alongside an additional £50 million for councils to fund tailored local actions.
Despite these initiatives, charities and the Labour Party have criticized the plan for falling short and containing gaps. Criticisms highlight a lack of clear prevention measures and support for refugees, and some expressed concern that the plan was rushed.
Shelter reported that 382,618 people were homeless in England this past Christmas, including 175,025 children.
Centrepoint acknowledged that the plan could be transformative but also noted remaining gaps and questioned whether the funding increases are sufficient relative to the scale of homelessness.
The Conservative response accused Labour of failing to address homelessness, citing rising numbers in temporary accommodation and problems related to house-building.
Labour MP Paula Barker criticized the strategy as lacking sufficient detail and urgency.
