The Spending Review is a huge step in tackling the housing crisis and the fight to end homelessness, writes Sam Dalton, Policy, Campaigns & External Affairs Manager at Emmaus UK.
The announcement of £39 billion for affordable homes over the next 10 years – a near doubling of funding – marks a significant step towards building a more secure future for thousands of people across the UK.
Alongside a long-term social housing rent settlement that enables social landlords to raise rents by one percentage point above inflation each year to invest in new social homes and improve the quality of existing ones, the announcements made by Rachel Reeves in yesterday’s Spending Review show the government is listening.
As our Chief Executive, Charlotte Talbott, said yesterday, this is a “boost for the provision of safe, secure, and affordable homes, and in the fight to end homelessness.”
Real investment in social and affordable housing
For this investment to make the greatest impact, it must be directed towards truly affordable social homes – the kind most needed by people at risk of, or recovering from, homelessness.
At Emmaus UK, we are supporting sector-wide calls for the delivery of 90,000 social homes each year, which would go a significant way towards addressing the housing emergency – a leading cause of homelessness in the UK. We think the additional government funding needs to be accompanied by this clear target for the delivery of social homes.
Protecting funding for early intervention
In addition to housing investment, the Spending Review includes £100 million for early intervention and prevention measures to tackle homelessness before it happens.
We welcome this recognition from the government that ending homelessness requires a joined-up approach, from affordable homes to support at the earliest stages of need.
As Ligia Teixeira, Chief Executive of the Centre for Homelessness Impact, put it:
“Prevention and structural solutions must take centre stage if we’re to break the cycle of homelessness for good.”
Recent survey findings show strong public support for this approach, with over half backing investment in prevention and 75% calling for affordable housing and stronger government guarantees.
The funding for early intervention, together with the protection of overall budgets for homelessness, is a good step in the right direction. We need the forthcoming homelessness strategy, expected in the autumn, to provide more detail on how this funding will be spent, with all government departments taking accountability.
Long-term investment in supported housing
While the Spending Review commits capital funding to increase the supply of good-quality temporary accommodation, there was no specific announcement on long-term investment in supported housing.
According to the National Housing Federation, 1 in 3 supported housing providers had to close schemes in the last year due to financial pressures, so it is vital this sector receives targeted funding.
We look forward to seeing clarity from the government on how the financial sustainability of supported housing will be ensured, whether through funding from the Affordable Homes Programme or other sources.
The forthcoming homelessness and housing strategies, which promise to join up government departments, regional mayors and local government, also need to recognise the vital role of supported housing.
Scrapping the Vagrancy Act
Ending homelessness is not only about funding, which is why Emmaus UK strongly welcomes the government’s confirmation that it will scrap the outdated and deeply harmful 1824 Vagrancy Act – ending over 200 years of criminalising people for being homeless.
The scrapping of the Act, which makes it a criminal offence to sleep rough in public spaces, was approved by Parliament in 2022 but has been repeatedly delayed.
A multitude of personal and social factors contribute to someone becoming homeless and they need support, practical solutions and compassion to rebuild their lives, not cruel criminalisation.
Positive signs – but there is more to do
Yesterday’s announcements mark a step-change and are a positive sign that the government is listening to the housing and homelessness sectors.
At Emmaus UK, we look forward to building on our strong partnerships with government and other charities in the sector to deliver real change.