Today, the Government launches a bold new National Plan to End Homelessness to support the most vulnerable in our society to find their feet and improve their lives.
Unveiled today and backed by £3.5bn of investment, this landmark strategy has been shaped by the voices of those who have experienced homelessness as well as those involved in the Inter-ministerial Group on Homelessness.
As the coldest months of the year settle in and Christmas fast approaches, for many, the harsh reality of homelessness becomes harder than ever – whether for someone bedding down on the street, or children struggling in temporary accommodation. Currently a family is being made homeless or threatened with homelessness every five minutes.
The National Plan to End Homelessness has three key pledges to be achieved by the end of this parliament – to halve the number of long-term rough sleepers, end the unlawful use of B&Bs for families and prevent more households from becoming homeless in the first place. It will be underpinned by clear, ambitious goals for lasting change, including a duty on public services to work together to prevent homelessness, a boost to the supply of good-quality temporary homes, and £3.5bn – a £1bn funding boost over and above previous commitments – to support rough sleeping and support services.
Today’s announcement follows the Royal Assent of the Government’s landmark Renters’ Rights Act, which puts an end to Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions that can often contribute to households finding themselves homeless. Alongside this, the government is investing £39bn in the biggest boost to social and affordable housing in a generation, helping to give more people a secure roof over their head as part of our commitment to build 1.5 million homes.
Housing Secretary Steve Reed said: “Homelessness is one of the most profound challenges we face as a society, because at the heart, it’s about people. Families deserve stability, children need a safe place to grow, and individuals simply want the dignity of a home.
“This strategy is shaped by the voices of those who’ve lived through homelessness and the frontline workers who fight tirelessly to prevent it.
“Through our new strategy we can build a future where homelessness is rare, brief, and not repeated. With record investment, new duties on public services, and a relentless focus on accountability, we will turn ambition into reality.”
Homelessness Minister Alison McGovern commented:“Everyone deserves a roof over their head. And for those experiencing the worst of homelessness right now – our children – they deserve a place to play and a bedroom to do their homework in. It’s our collective responsibility to make that a reality, for anyone at risk of homelessness, be it sofa-surfing or getting stuck on the streets.
“By working together including government, local leaders, charities, and communities, we can stop homelessness before it happens and ensure that when people do fall into crisis, support is swift and effective.
“The prize is big. Right now, taxpayers are paying the price of failure, with temporary accommodation costs skyrocketing. And the next generation of British young people can’t succeed without the space they need. This strategy sets us on a better path – to save money and change lives.”
By the end of this Parliament, the National Plan to End Homelessness will:
- Increase the rate of prevention to protect thousands more households from homelessness. Central to this target is a proposed ‘Duty to Collaborate’, which will be brought forward in legislation for public bodies to work together to prevent homelessness. This builds on cross-government efforts to cut homelessness linked to prisons, social care and hospitals. This strategy sets clear targets on this issue for the first time, including halving the number who become homeless on their first night out of prison and ensuring that no eligible person is discharged to the street after a hospital stay. It also sets a clear long-term ambition that no one should be made homelessness from a public institution.
- Halve the number of people experiencing long-term rough sleeping. For too long, people who have spent years on the streets, often with the most complex needs, have been left with no help. This strategy rewires the system to focus support where it’s needed most. A new £124m supported housing scheme has been launched to get over 2,500 people across England off the streets and into more stable housing as well as preventing those from getting to the streets in the first place. The Plan also includes a new £15m Long-Term Rough Sleeping Innovation Programme, which will help councils develop fresh solutions, alongside £37m of funding for a new Ending Homelessness in Communities programme which will increase support and improve the vital services that are provided by the voluntary, community and faith sector at the frontline of this crisis.
- End the unlawful use of B&Bs for families. This will bring relief to the 2,070 households trapped beyond the six-week limit in unsuitable conditions – often in one room and no cooking facilities. The builds on the commitment in the recently published Child Poverty Strategy, which ensures mothers and newborn babies are not discharged from hospital into this B&B accommodation.
The plan will boost the supply of good-quality temporary homes, backed by £950 million through the Fourth Round of the Local Authority Housing Fund. Our expanded £30 million Emergency Accommodation Reduction Programme will also prevent poor quality emergency accommodation being used. The government will work to improve the quality and suitability of temporary accommodation, enforcing strong protections against poor housing conditions, including out-of-area placements.
An additional £50 m of in-year funding (25/26) is also to be allocated to local authorities through MHCLG’s Homelessness Prevention Grant. This funding is intended to focus on prevention, making sure individuals and households who are at risk of or experiencing homelessness are given the right help to stay in their homes.
Preventing homelessness is everyone’s responsibility and this strategy makes that clear. Every council will now publish a tailored action plan alongside their local homelessness strategy, including setting local targets on key outcomes, with targeted expert support for areas facing the greatest challenges. The Government is also calling on Mayors to lead with ambition, backed by new funding to drive collaboration between councils, services, and partners. This is backed by a stripping away of bureaucracy, simplifying funding for councils and ending bidding processes so they can focus on spending money on meeting local needs.
To deliver lasting change, we’re launching a National Workforce Programme to equip frontline teams with essential training and expert advice. Progress will be tracked through national reports, overseen by the Inter-Ministerial Group, ensuring transparency, accountability, and momentum as we work together to end homelessness for good.
This strategy is just part of the way government is supporting people to have a safe and secure roof over their head. Taken together, alongside the reforms to the private rented sector and drive to build the homes the country needs, the Government is committed putting a stop to the threat of homelessness for families and individuals across the country.
Dave Robinson, Assistant Director of Operations at Riverside, said: “We are really heartened to see the Government putting prevention at the heart of the new plan.
“Data shows that more than 15,000 people in 2024/25 needed support to relieve or prevent homelessness after departure from a public institution so this measure is long overdue. Increased collaboration is vital if we want to increase the rate of prevention to protect thousands of more people from becoming homeless from an institution.
“At a time when councils spent £2.8bn a year on temporary accommodation the Government will need to increase the supply of social housing further, increase funding for supported housing and homelessness services again and not forgetting the valuable contribution floating support makes in all of this.
“Supported housing providers are crying out for more funding to keep their doors open. Last year, a survey of NHF members showed one in three supported housing providers had to close schemes in the previous 12 months because of funding pressures, and three in five were planning to close schemes in the future.
“While we warmly welcome this new funding, we hope to see a speedy resolution to the Treasury’s value for money review on homelessness and supported housing funding, so more supported housing schemes do not have to close their doors too.”
Header image: Matthew Ashmore/AdobeStock
