Half of MPs who have an Emmaus community in their constituency have visited since last year’s General Election.
We have been delighted to welcome MPs from all major political parties to see their local Emmaus in action, meet staff and companions, and gain a greater understanding of how we support people who have experienced homelessness with supported housing, work opportunities, and social support.
A total of 15 MPs have visited since polling day last summer, including politicians from Labour, the Liberal Democrats and the Conservatives. Co-leader of the Green Party, Carla Denyer MP, plans to visit her local Emmaus early this year.
The visits have spanned communities as far and wide as Glasgow, Sheffield, Dover, and south Wales.
Following her visit to an Emmaus community, Mary Creagh CBE, Labour MP for Coventry East, said:
“It was wonderful to see Emmaus’ work in Coventry, and their community home for 17 people, which goes beyond offering a bed for the night and provides a holistic, longer-term approach to tackling homelessness.
“By providing longer-term accommodation, a supportive community, and work opportunities to help people from returning to sleeping on the streets, Emmaus is showing how we can effectively tackle homelessness in Coventry.”
A big part of our mission is to bring people with lived experience closer to decision-makers like MPs. The visits have enabled companions to tell their stories to their local representative, share their experiences of overcoming homelessness and explain what living at an Emmaus means to them.
Our team has also been able to discuss our policy and campaigns work with the local MPs during visits, including our in-depth research project to shape the implementation of the Supported Housing Act.
Abena Oppong-Asare, Labour MP for Erith and Thamesmead, said:
“It was inspiring to visit Emmaus Greenwich. The work that they do makes a real difference to people trying to overcome homelessness, giving them support, skills, and the confidence to build a better life for themselves. This type of community work is so important, and I thank them and their companions for taking the time to speak to me about their experiences.
“This government is committed to seriously tackling homelessness across the UK, with the new cross government – Homelessness Taskforce which will develop a long-term strategy to combat this issue.
“Working alongside organisations like Emmaus, we have a real chance to improve the lives of so many suffering unnecessarily, building dynamic local communities with empowered citizens in the process.”
We have also been pleased to speak about our ‘Action on Homelessness’ manifesto, which sets out six key steps to end homelessness and calls on ministers to take a cross-government approach to the issue.
The MP visits have provided us with a springboard to work more closely with decision-makers and keep homelessness high on the agenda in Westminster, including through letters to relevant ministers and written questions in Parliament.
Emmaus UK Chief Executive, Charlotte Talbott, said:
“There is no substitute for visiting a local Emmaus community to see our unique model of supporting people who have experienced homelessness, which combines housing with work opportunities and social support.
“I would like to thank all the local MPs who have taken the time to visit their local Emmaus since the General Election, and for listening to what our companions and staff have to say.
“We’re excited to be working more closely with a range of MPs at this crucial time for our sector, with the cross-government task force on ending homelessness getting underway, and the Supported Housing Act due to be implemented shortly.”
As a steering group member of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Ending Homelessness, we are continuing our strong cross-party approach by helping to shape the APPG’s work programme for the next year.
We are also pleased the government has begun its work on the cross-government task force on ending homelessness, which we are engaging closely with.
Image: Abena Oppong-Asare (MP for Erith and Thamesmead) and Sofia Barbosa (CEO at Emmaus Greenwich).