Salvation Army responds to national plan to end homelessness

The Salvation Army welcomes the Government’s national plan to end homelessness, which includes measures that the church and charity have been campaigning for. However, a major concern is that the Government’s target to cut rough sleeping ‘doesn’t go far enough’.

Salvation Army Director of Homelessness Services, Nick Redmore, said: “We are pleased that the Government has listened to our concerns about the dangerous practice of discharging hospital patients who are homeless back onto the streets.  We also welcome the consultation on expanding the use of the lifesaving opioid overdose antidote, naloxone. We have been rolling out the use of naloxone across our services for a number of years. This has saved hundreds of lives, and we would be happy to demonstrate how it supports the care we provide.

“However, we also have concerns including that the Government’s new target of halving the number of people sleeping rough by 2030 doesn’t go far enough  Urgent action needs to be taken to help those who are living on the streets right now. It makes little sense that a plan aimed at tackling rough sleeping ignores the urgent need to reform legislation in England that leaves some people with no option but to sleep on the streets, sometimes for years, because they are not deemed vulnerable enough to be prioritised for council accommodation. Without reforming this system, the Government’s new homelessness plan will still leave thousands of people literally out in the cold.

“In addition, despite the Government’s focus on prevention, the housing benefit freeze will remain a major driver of homelessness pushing vulnerable families with children into temporary accommodation, placing further financial strain on local authorities. Housing benefit has been repeatedly frozen despite rising rents and now covers only around three per cent of private rental properties, putting more people at risk of homelessness.”