This week, the Secretary of State for Housing has announced an extended programme of support for rough sleepers. In summary, the Government commits to build or buy 6000 new homes for the rough sleepers who are currently indoors due to the pandemic. This is a big step forward. At the same time, many rough sleepers are still left out.

There still remain hundreds of rough sleepers on the street. They have missed out on Government support to date. No commitment has been made to help them. Sadly, we still have people in the UK who are street homeless.

Neither has any commitment been made not to return to ‘business as usual’ when lockdown ends. This means that the vulnerably housed people of tomorrow could become rough sleepers without a guarantee of help off the street. Up to 40% of rough sleepers currently in hotels may not qualify for longer-term housing under current rules.

The Government’s announcement brings forward funding. In other words, money that was already promised for spending on house building across four years will be spent earlier. The new spending is £13m per year for 4 years. This is no small sum, but it is not obvious that it will cover all the support needs of former rough sleepers.

To repeat, the current commitment is a ‘fast forward’ approach, i.e. spending previously pledged money sooner. This is essential for those currently in hostels and hotels. But the Government does not seem to commit to the more effective changes in approach which would end rough sleeping once and for all.

Effective ways for ending rough sleeping ‘once and for all’ are given in this week’s report by the cross-party Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee. They speak of a ‘golden opportunity’ before us. It will cost about £100 million per year, and will likely include the Housing First model. In my next petition update, I will let you know about the hopeful possibilities spelled out by the Rough Sleeper Advisory Committee, which they shared in reply to your signatures of this petition.

In short, the current ‘Everyone In’ approach still leaves out many rough sleepers. Rough sleepers are still on the streets. We are asking for an end to rough sleeping, without exception.

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