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| The government is in denial on homelessness | The government is in denial on homelessness |
| (14 days later) | |
| With great sadness I read the housing secretary James Brokenshire’s comments explaining away the responsibility of the government with individual causes to homelessness (Rise in homelessness not result of our policies, says housing secretary, 19 December). | With great sadness I read the housing secretary James Brokenshire’s comments explaining away the responsibility of the government with individual causes to homelessness (Rise in homelessness not result of our policies, says housing secretary, 19 December). |
| When homelessness is growing, it is a responsibility of the government and a failure of its policy. This has been validated in Finland, where homelessness has decreased due to strong governmental determination. Looking at your growing numbers of homelessness, the reasons seem obvious. It has taken too long to move from talk to action. | When homelessness is growing, it is a responsibility of the government and a failure of its policy. This has been validated in Finland, where homelessness has decreased due to strong governmental determination. Looking at your growing numbers of homelessness, the reasons seem obvious. It has taken too long to move from talk to action. |
| First, the supply of affordable social housing has been insufficient. Second, the Housing First model is not yet implemented on a national scale and the overall solution to homelessness relies heavily on temporary accommodation. But most important, the more severe hindrance for the paradigm change is cultural: a very civilised way of not-working-together. | First, the supply of affordable social housing has been insufficient. Second, the Housing First model is not yet implemented on a national scale and the overall solution to homelessness relies heavily on temporary accommodation. But most important, the more severe hindrance for the paradigm change is cultural: a very civilised way of not-working-together. |
| The Finnish policy is based on the Housing First model: a homeless person is rented out a permanent flat unconditionally and provided support. This has proven to be a sustainable solution, even economically. But the most evident prevention of homelessness has been affordable social housing and housing benefits. | The Finnish policy is based on the Housing First model: a homeless person is rented out a permanent flat unconditionally and provided support. This has proven to be a sustainable solution, even economically. But the most evident prevention of homelessness has been affordable social housing and housing benefits. |
| Each year in Finland, 6,000-9,000 new, affordable, good quality social housing flats come to the market, and housing benefit also makes it possible for people with low incomes to rent a flat from the private market. | Each year in Finland, 6,000-9,000 new, affordable, good quality social housing flats come to the market, and housing benefit also makes it possible for people with low incomes to rent a flat from the private market. |
| After the Homelessness Reduction Act, hope for a real change has been in the air. Crisis has provided a detailed plan for ending homelessness: no need to copy anything from us. | After the Homelessness Reduction Act, hope for a real change has been in the air. Crisis has provided a detailed plan for ending homelessness: no need to copy anything from us. |
| Ending homelessness is not a utopian ideology. One may need shelter from the storm but you need a home to lead a decent life. As George Orwell said: “Either we all live in a decent world, or nobody does.” Juha KaakinenCEO, Y-Foundation, Finland | Ending homelessness is not a utopian ideology. One may need shelter from the storm but you need a home to lead a decent life. As George Orwell said: “Either we all live in a decent world, or nobody does.” Juha KaakinenCEO, Y-Foundation, Finland |
| • James Brokenshire’s refusal to acknowledge any connection between government policy and the rise in rough sleeping bears the hallmarks of a government in denial. | • James Brokenshire’s refusal to acknowledge any connection between government policy and the rise in rough sleeping bears the hallmarks of a government in denial. |
| Instead of seeking to attribute the crisis to the spread of psychoactive drugs and LGBT young people being thrown out of home, he should refer to the government’s own data, which shows that since 2014 the loss of a private tenancy has been the biggest cause of homelessness in England. According to research by Generation Rent, 94% of this rise can be blamed on no-fault evictions, which have more than doubled since 2009. | Instead of seeking to attribute the crisis to the spread of psychoactive drugs and LGBT young people being thrown out of home, he should refer to the government’s own data, which shows that since 2014 the loss of a private tenancy has been the biggest cause of homelessness in England. According to research by Generation Rent, 94% of this rise can be blamed on no-fault evictions, which have more than doubled since 2009. |
| The truth is that the precariousness of private sector tenancies, combined with a chronic shortage of social housing, punitive welfare reforms and successive years of cuts to homelessness prevention services, have created a perfect storm. Ever greater numbers of vulnerable people are being forced into temporary accommodation or worse, or are having to take their chances on the streets. | The truth is that the precariousness of private sector tenancies, combined with a chronic shortage of social housing, punitive welfare reforms and successive years of cuts to homelessness prevention services, have created a perfect storm. Ever greater numbers of vulnerable people are being forced into temporary accommodation or worse, or are having to take their chances on the streets. |
| This may be unpalatable for ministers, but without a grasp of the causes of the crisis, they are unlikely to be able to remedy it.Liz RutherfoordChief executive, Single Homeless Project | This may be unpalatable for ministers, but without a grasp of the causes of the crisis, they are unlikely to be able to remedy it.Liz RutherfoordChief executive, Single Homeless Project |
| • Most people who have mental health, drug and relationship problems are not homeless and dying on the streets. The rise in homelessness, including sleeping rough since 2010 and the increase in deaths since 2013, is a direct result of government policy in failing to provide local authorities and the third sector with the funding for accommodation and personal assistance (Deaths of homeless people up by a quarter in five years, 21 December). Also, as has been well documented, cuts in services since 2010 have resulted in far less preventative help for those in need and on the edge of homelessness. | • Most people who have mental health, drug and relationship problems are not homeless and dying on the streets. The rise in homelessness, including sleeping rough since 2010 and the increase in deaths since 2013, is a direct result of government policy in failing to provide local authorities and the third sector with the funding for accommodation and personal assistance (Deaths of homeless people up by a quarter in five years, 21 December). Also, as has been well documented, cuts in services since 2010 have resulted in far less preventative help for those in need and on the edge of homelessness. |
| Perhaps most worrying of all is how the under-funding of key services, including failures in the rollout of universal credit, is creating a welfare system underpinned by punishment, regulation and deterrence, where it is becoming acceptable for some to ridicule, set fire and urinate on the street homeless.Prof Mike SteinUniversity of York | Perhaps most worrying of all is how the under-funding of key services, including failures in the rollout of universal credit, is creating a welfare system underpinned by punishment, regulation and deterrence, where it is becoming acceptable for some to ridicule, set fire and urinate on the street homeless.Prof Mike SteinUniversity of York |
| • Your article fails to acknowledge that the prime advocate of this approach was Boris Johnson when he was mayor of London (Councils pay for rough sleepers to leave town, 29 December). His “flagship” approach to clearing the streets of the capital of street sleepers included returning them to their home towns or offering support to address reasons for homelessness. The scheme, entitled “No Second Night out” also included the sanction of no further help if these offers were not taken up. | • Your article fails to acknowledge that the prime advocate of this approach was Boris Johnson when he was mayor of London (Councils pay for rough sleepers to leave town, 29 December). His “flagship” approach to clearing the streets of the capital of street sleepers included returning them to their home towns or offering support to address reasons for homelessness. The scheme, entitled “No Second Night out” also included the sanction of no further help if these offers were not taken up. |
| Despite no tangible evidence of the scheme’s success, the government ordered all local councils to adopt the same approach. | Despite no tangible evidence of the scheme’s success, the government ordered all local councils to adopt the same approach. |
| Clearly this muddle-headed approach hasn’t worked as we are now seeing unprecedented levels of homelessness and will continue to do so unless councils are enabled to provide the safe and affordable homes that are badly needed.Mrs Chris CawthorneWorcester | Clearly this muddle-headed approach hasn’t worked as we are now seeing unprecedented levels of homelessness and will continue to do so unless councils are enabled to provide the safe and affordable homes that are badly needed.Mrs Chris CawthorneWorcester |
| • Join the debate – email guardian.letters@theguardian.com | • Join the debate – email guardian.letters@theguardian.com |
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| James Brokenshire | James Brokenshire |
| Social exclusion | Social exclusion |
| Housing | Housing |
| Poverty | Poverty |
| Finland | Finland |
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