Emma Haddad, Chief Executive of St Mungo’s, comments on the release of the Government’s Homelessness Strategy
The homelessness strategy published today is a watershed moment and is strongly welcomed by St Mungo’s. Homelessness has no place in modern society. The ambition set out today offers the start of a blueprint for ending homelessness and rough sleeping for good. There is no time to lose, we hope the strategy will galvanise decisive action from the whole system.
After 15 years of almost consistent rises in the number of people being affected by homelessness, we are relieved to see the Government recognising the scale of the crisis and the pressing need to address it. Last year St Mungo’s supported over 26,000 people out of homelessness. We see how damaging even a single night on the streets can be, and how quickly that one-off crisis can turn into a complex cycle of homelessness. The new targets need to focus all our minds.
We welcome the focus on prevention as well as on long-term rough sleeping. We also particularly welcome the new ‘duty to collaborate’; there is a huge opportunity to end the needless homelessness that we see from people leaving hospitals, prisons and asylum accommodation through joining up how government agencies work together. And we are very pleased to see the continuing commitment to utilise the knowledge, expertise and experience of frontline organisations like St Mungo’s and the lived experience of our clients to help inform the way forward.
The strategy is not perfect and there are areas where the Government has already made choices that make ending homelessness harder. We will continue to press for better. The failure to unfreeze Local Housing Allowance in the Budget was a missed opportunity and one that should be urgently revisited.
The strategy, rightly, makes clear that the homelessness crisis is deep and won’t be resolved quickly. It is, however, a solid step forward and we stand ready to work with Government and partners to make the intent of this strategy a reality. Now is the time for collective action.
Mariusz, a client at St Mungo’s, said: “I know from personal experience how quickly someone can become trapped in a cycle of homelessness. I was stable, happy, and working as a chef in London until a series of events turned my life upside down. I became homeless for almost nine years, and during that time, both my physical and mental health suffered greatly. The more complex my situation became, the harder it was to escape.
Five years ago, I met an Outreach worker from St Mungo’s, and that was the turning point in my recovery. With their support in accessing benefits and practical help, I was able to regain my independence. Today, I work part-time in hospitality, live in supported accommodation, and am rebuilding my life. I have seen for myself, first hand, how tailored support can help people to leave the streets, and homelessness, behind for good.
I also believe that by focusing far more on preventing homelessness in the first place—and stopping people from becoming trapped in the same cycle I found so hard to escape—the government can begin to reverse the tide of this worsening crisis.”
