The Covid-19 crisis has jolted us into a new realm of thinking about how we address long-term problems such as homelessness. National and local governments have demonstrated that it is possible to get the UK’s homeless people off the streets and into safety during a pandemic; but we must keep the momentum going.
This is imperative, particularly as last week a leaked report suggested the government will stop funding the emergency programme that houses rough sleepers (Report, 15 May). It is crucial now, more than ever, that decision-makers set out a clear policy to protect our vulnerable.
But this isn’t just about getting roofs over heads. It’s about having an exit strategy from the streets. A plan for everyone who is currently in emergency accommodation – or still on the streets – and how they can live a better life, with a brighter future.
As councils warn us that Covid-19 threatens to make half a million more people homeless, the housing crisis must top the government’s agenda.
Last Thursday I led a debate in the House of Lords on supporting the homeless back into housing after Covid-19. Our focus must be on supporting the vulnerable, and ending the human rights abuse of homelessness. We look to the government for a Beveridge-scale solution to this intractable problem.
John Bird
House of Lords
