Emmaus UK supports an open letter calling for the home secretary to urgently reconsider plans to criminalise the use of tents by people sleeping rough.
The home secretary Suella Braverman is proposing new laws to restrict the use of tents by homeless people, and there are reports the plans being drawn up include forbidding charities from giving tents to homeless people.
Charlotte Talbott, Chief Executive of Emmaus UK, supports the open letter which has been published by the charity Crisis with a range of homelessness charity leaders as signatories.
She also joins others in condemning comments recently posted by the home secretary on X, formerly known as Twitter, in which she said that many people are living on the streets as a “lifestyle choice”.
Charlotte said: “Emmaus UK whole-heartedly endorses the open letter and calls for the Government to reconsider measures to criminalise the use of tents by people living on the streets.
“Though rough sleeping is dangerous and should have no place in society, and a home is a basic human right, demonising people living on the streets and hampering humane support is damaging. Instead, the Government should focus on addressing the causes of homelessness.”
In her opening speech at last month’s Emmaus National Assembly, Charlotte warned that the housing system in the UK is broken and more people are suffering.
Helping people move on from homelessness
With more than 30 communities throughout the UK, Emmaus supports people with experience of homelessness by providing them with a home for as long as they need it, support and meaningful work and training in social enterprises.