“Following the Chancellor’s announcements today, in what will be the Government’s last Spring Budget before a general election, it is disappointing that there were no announcements to address the ongoing homelessness crisis we are seeing across the country.
Last week, the Government’s annual rough sleeping snapshot showed that there was a 27% increase in rough sleeping. This is the second year in a row there has been a dramatic increase.
2024 is the year in which the Government committed to end rough sleeping by, but instead we are seeing the crisis escalating.
Against this backdrop, it is concerning that the Rough Sleeping Initiative (RSI) funding is due to end in 2025 which funds vital services for those at risk of rough sleeping. In our submission to the Spring Budget, we called for an extension to this funding so that RSI-funded services do not face a cliff-edge in 2025. This is just one example of what could be implemented to help tackle the crisis.
Last week’s worrying figures highlight the need to significantly bolster efforts to end rough sleeping, not scale back. As we move closer to a general election this year, we will continue to push for this change, as well as other key asks to help tackle the homelessness crisis.”
