Emmaus UK has joined 36 other leading homelessness charities to call on the Chancellor to urgently address the dire financial situation facing homelessness services. The open letter to Chancellor Jeremy Hunt urges the Government to release funding in the upcoming Spring Budget to avoid a looming disaster.
Support services are shrinking while homelessness rises across the country, with government statistics showing rough sleeping increased 26% in 2022. Meanwhile, Councils are axing services in a bid to tackle funding deficits, leaving people without vital support.
In a recent poll Homeless Link conducted of 120 service providers, 66% said they’re running services that are no longer financially viable.
The letter warns that ‘more and more people are being pulled into homelessness without the support of expert service providers to turn to, at huge risk to their physical and mental health and placing significant extra strain on emergency and health services’.
It goes on to urge the Chancellor to provide crucial funding in the Spring Budget to enable homelessness projects to keep their doors open.
Charlotte Talbott, Chief Executive of Emmaus UK, said:
“At a time of increasing demand, it is deeply concerning that services across the homelessness sector are struggling financially.
To prevent a crisis in provision, Government funding is needed more than ever to help services support those with experience of homelessness and those at risk of becoming homeless.
We are proud to join other charities in signing this letter and sincerely hope it leads to urgent action from the Chancellor to address this very important issue.”
About the open letter
Coordinated by Homeless Link, the letter is signed by 37 leading homelessness organisations across the country.
Emmaus UK is also supporting Homeless Link’s ‘A Home for Everyone’ general election campaign. Find out more here.