UK government criticizes ‘worst housing crisis in living memory’

(MENAFN) The British government has declared a significant increase in funding to combat the escalating homelessness crisis in England, with Minister for Homelessness Rushanara Ali acknowledging that the country is facing "the worst housing crisis in living memory." Councils across England will receive nearly £1 billion ($1.27 billion) in new funding next year, matching the amount spent on temporary accommodation for homeless families over the past year.

This funding aims to prevent households from becoming homeless in the first place, with a focus on early intervention. A report by housing charity Shelter earlier this month revealed a 14% rise in homelessness over the past year, with over 354,000 individuals, including 161,500 children, experiencing homelessness in England. The charity has called on the government to invest in affordable social housing rather than relying on temporary solutions.

The Labour government has criticized years of inadequate investment in prevention, which it claims has led to the current crisis. The Guardian newspaper also pointed to housing policies under the Conservative government since 2010, such as capping local housing benefits, as contributing factors to the rise in homelessness. Shelter estimates that the cost of homelessness in England has doubled in the past five years, reaching £2.3 billion between April 2023 and March 2024.

Homelessness is a growing concern across the UK, with Scotland declaring a national housing emergency in May and a sharp increase in temporary accommodation spending in Wales and Northern Ireland. A recent survey showed that 57% of the British public believes the government will never be able to fully address the homelessness crisis.

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