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Labour leader Keir Starmer has added his voice to calls for greater clarity on plans for rough sleepers who have been offered emergency accommodation during the coronavirus pandemic.
Mr Starmer said the government has a “once-in-a-generation opportunity” to honour its manifesto commitment to end rough sleeping by outlining a long-term funding arrangement to house rough sleepers after the crisis is over.
According to official figures, more than 5,000 rough sleepers have been offered emergency accommodation during the pandemic through the government’s ‘Everyone In’ policy.
But ministers have so far failed to commit to supporting these individuals into longer-term accommodation which “could see rough sleepers ending up back on the streets,” Mr Starmer warned.
Inside Housing also heard from a number of councillors that said they need a firmer commitment from government on funding in order to develop long-term plans to house rough sleepers.
These warning followed a leaked internal report from the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, obtained by Manchester Evening News, which suggested that the government would no longer fund councils to house rough sleepers beyond their statutory duties.
However, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) vehemently disputed the report.
Labour said the Everyone In policy needs to be extended to include those made homeless during pandemic and that the government must make changes to the Local Housing Allowance and housing benefit.
Policy changes must also be made around non-UK nationals who have no recourse to public funds and can therefore not access welfare and other support, Labour said.
The party’s statement said: “The government needs to provide clarity on their Everyone In policy, to include those made homeless during the lockdown and certainty over the future funding arrangements. Without this, we could see rough sleepers ending up back on the streets.”
The statement has now been signed by Mr Starmer, shadow housing secretary Thangam Debbonaire and mayors Sadiq Khan, Andy Burnham, Steve Rotheram, Dan Jarvis and Jamie Driscoll.
In March, the government allocated £3.2m to local authorities to help rough sleepers self-isolate during the coronavirus lockdown.
Since then the government has also provided £3.2bn in funding to councils. However, this money is to cover all council activities, with the government expecting some of it to be used to meet emergency accommodation costs.
An MHCLG spokesperson said: “We have been clear councils must continue to provide safe accommodation for those that need it and provided £3.2m at the start of the pandemic so they could take immediate action and help rough sleepers off the street.
“Our new rough sleeping taskforce – spearheaded by Dame Louise Casey – will work with councils across the country to ensure as many rough sleepers as possible can move into long-term safe accommodation.”