Mayor caught napping as rough sleeping rises

The number of people sleeping rough in London has risen by 64 percent since 2010. Now, across London some 6,500 people are sleeping rough and of these, one third had been seen sleeping rough in previous years. [1] Despite this increase, the number of beds for emergency and move-on accommodation dropped by one quarter between 2011 and 2013. [2] ‘No Going Back – Breaking the cycle of rough sleeping and homelessness’ is the London Assembly Housing Committee’s report into repeat rough sleeping. It examines what happens to those who are not housed by councils, and looks at how homeless support services address the often complex needs of repeat rough sleepers. The Committee has made a number of recommendations to the Mayor, Government, London Health Commission and London boroughs. These recommendations include:

Beginning discussions to establish pan-London and sub-regional commissioning arrangements for services supporting single homeless people.

Amending the priority need conditions to entitle single homeless people in England to settled accommodation.

Assessing how health services can be made to join up with, and complement, other services which support rough sleepers.

Highlighting the need for greater flexibility in the design of JobCentre Plus and NHS systems.

Pressing hard for at least a proportionate share of Department of Health hostel funding for London and requesting clarification around available revenue funding to support homelessness projects in London for 2015-16 and beyond.

The complete list of recommendations are available on page 28 of the 'No Going Back' report below. Notes:

Street to Home Report, Broadway, June 2014

Atlas of Services for Homeless People in London, London Housing Foundation, 2011 and 2013