20 September 2017
The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Sajid Javid, has announced a green paper on social housing in England.
Speaking at the National Housing Federation annual conference, Sajid Javid said that the green paper will be a “wide-ranging, top to bottom review” of the issues facing the social housing sector and will be the “most substantial report of its kind for a generation”.
Dominic Williamson, Executive Director of Policy and Strategy at St Mungo’s said: “St Mungo’s welcomes this announcement. For people who are homeless, or who have spent time on the streets, social housing is a vital move on option from specialist hostels like ours.
“Our clients must have the opportunity to make a home, to support their recovery and reach their goals which is why we want to see a strong focus on genuinely affordable housing and improved access to social housing for the most vulnerable.
“Our London-based Clearing House scheme works in this way with housing associations, providing homes for people who have slept rough. Since it started 25 years ago, the service has referred 13,500 people into longer term accommodation. We agree that Housing Associations have a key role to play in tackling homelessness, not only for families as the Secretary of State spoke about in his speech, but also for single people.
“Homelessness is, however, about more than housing. Homeless people are also often facing challenging health issues, needing to improve skills and employability and wanting to form, and keep, positive relationships.
“This is why we will continue to press the government for a national strategy to end rough sleeping and to commit to secure future funding for supported housing, to help vulnerable people with the most complex needs to get the help they need to move on with their lives.”
