Our reflections on World Homeless Day 2024

Today is World Homeless Day, and a chance to reflect and think about people across the country at the sharp end of the housing crisis. Our thoughts are with everyone experiencing, or at risk of homelessness today, and every day.

Having a safe place to call home is a human right, and I’m proud to work with colleagues in the sector to help end homelessness across England.

How do housing associations help end homelessness?

Many housing associations were founded with a clear aim of helping people at risk of rising homelessness. Today, housing associations continue to play an important role in solving homelessness, whether they are specialist organisations or general needs providers.

To put this into context, I’d encourage you to watch our video, where some of our members explain how they help end homelessness at their housing association. Social housing, including vital supported housing services, provide housing for communities at a higher risk of homelessness, including veterans, young care leavers, survivors of domestic abuse and families facing a rising cost of living crisis.

But many are facing increased risks and a lack of funding, putting vital services at risk. In this blog, I’ll explain our key asks of the government on homelessness funding and policies for housing associations.

What is the situation like now?

Homelessness and rough sleeping are rising, with children particularly affected. As of March 2024, there are now shockingly 151,630 children in temporary accommodation, a 12% rise since March 2023. Research shows that living in temporary accommodation negatively affects children’s education, social life, physical and mental health.

Rough sleeping increased across England in 2023, with the statistics showing that 3,898 people were estimated to be sleeping rough on a single night in Autumn 2023, up 27% when compared with 2022. People leaving asylum accommodation after gaining refugee status are at a significantly higher risk of rough sleeping and homelessness.

Alongside this, there is continued and rising pressure on local authority homelessness teams. Data shows the demand for homelessness services has risen in recent years due to a chronic shortage of affordable homes. Data shows that 38% of supported accommodation services for single homeless people have closed since 2010, due to over £1bn in funding cuts.

What are our asks of government on homelessness?

To make sure housing associations can help end homelessness now and into the future, we made several asks of government in our submission to the upcoming Autumn Budget. We’re calling for:

A committment to £1.6bn a year in new revenue funding for supported housing services.
An extension and uplift to the £145m a year Rough Sleeping Initiative and the £440m Homelessness Prevention Grant.
Further emergency funding for Housing Support services that are facing immediate, existential cuts.
A new, long term Affordable Homes Programme from 2026, with minimum funding of £4.6bn per year.

If you have any feedback on our work on homelessness, or would like to tell us about one of your services, please get in touch using the contact details below.

Who to speak to

Dylan Hemmings

dylan.hemmings@housing.org.uk