£1 billion from Government to tackle homelessness welcomed by Alabaré
Alabaré is pleased to see a renewed commitment to breaking the cycle and wants to see further details on the support that will be made available.
Leading homelessness charity, Alabaré, is pleased that the Government is pledging its commitment to tackle homelessness and wants to see further details on the support that will be made available.
£1 billion of new funding has been announced by the Housing Secretary Steve Reed at the Labour Party conference this week (Monday 29 September).
In his speech, he described homelessness as a ‘scandal’ and a ‘moral stain’ on society, stating that rough sleeping in the UK had doubled under the previous Government. Alabaré agrees with this sentiment – no one should be forced to sleep rough.
Mr Reed also said that money is already being spent to help local authorities ‘act more quickly’ to break the cycle of homelessness and prevent households from reaching a crisis point.
Alabaré welcomes a renewed focus to tackle homelessness but would like the Housing Secretary to confirm how charities fit into the strategy, particularly in relation to our mission of providing homes, restoring hearts, and empowering minds at a time when the third sector copes with an ever-increasing need in the face of funding cuts elsewhere.
The ongoing support offered by Alabaré, with both practical and holistic help for individuals, is crucial for those experiencing homelessness to find a way out of a difficult situation and towards independent living.
The charity is also supporting Government targets to build 1.5 million new homes within the current Parliament and creating ‘safe, decent and affordable housing’ to ‘restore the dream of home ownership to thousands of families’.
It follows a previously announced pledge to allocate £39 billion into providing more affordable and social housing across the country.
Guaranteeing paid work for young people
Another announcement at the Labour Party conference, from the Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, will see paid work placements offered to young people who receive Universal Credit.
Alabaré has supported living accommodation for those aged 16 to 25 who are often leaving care and are at risk of homelessness.
While offering work placements will help many of those young people towards a brighter future, the charity feels it’s important that individual needs are taken into account, so those who cannot work don’t face discrimination or the removal of support as a result.
Andrew Lord, Alabaré Chief Executive, said:
“The commitment from the Government to tackle homelessness, by announcing additional funding, is much needed as the number of people living in temporary accommodation reaches a record high, and rough sleeping is on the increase.
“We’d be keen to support local authorities with distributing that funding where the need is greatest, and where the most positive changes can be delivered. Our charity has 35 years of experience in helping homeless people towards fulfilling and independent lives across the South West of England and Wales.
“We understand the challenges, and while providing additional affordable housing would be one piece of the puzzle, Alabaré would also like to see the Government’s homelessness strategy reflecting the ongoing support that’s required to break the cycle.”
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