The findings from the survey indicate a notable upsurge in homelessness within London, which serves as England’s capital. It is particularly concerning that this rise encompasses a substantial number of children, with figures reaching tens of thousands. Consequently, local authorities are actively working towards enhancing housing allowances and expanding the availability of social housing specifically targeted at these vulnerable groups. Given these significant developments, this article will delve into two primary inquiries: What is the magnitude of escalating homelessness rates across England? Additionally, what specific initiatives has Rishi Sunak’s government undertaken to combat and alleviate homelessness issues throughout the United Kingdom?
Homelessness of 170,000 Londoners
The tragedy of homelessness in London
The local councils said that the appalling statistics are the latest evidence that the tragedy of homelessness is unfolding in London. Accordingly, there is a risk that the situation will get out of control. Homeless people (in temporary accommodation) include people who spend the night on the street and those who stay with friends and relatives or in public places or hotels.
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Solving London’s Homelessness Crisis
In seeking a resolution to this crisis, local authorities have put forth various measures, including a call upon the government to augment funding for housing initiatives and offer enhanced assistance to municipalities to procure additional residences from private vendors. Highlighting the urgency of the situation, Darren Rodwell, the executive representative for regeneration at the London Council, stressed that a considerably more comprehensive effort is essential to aid low-income households in averting homelessness and curbing the escalating reliance on provisional accommodations.
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Increasing death of homeless people
Research by the charity Museum of Homelessness announced that 1,313 people died in homelessness in the UK last year, an increase of 85% compared to 2019. A homelessness centre in the UK revealed that since 2019, more than 4,000 people have lost their lives due to homelessness in the UK, and currently, one homeless person dies every six and a half hours.
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Homeless deaths in the UK
Highlighting that dependence on illicit and perilous provisional lodgings ranks among the primary contributors to fatalities within the homeless community, the support centre emphasises that this factor has assumed a pivotal role alongside addiction. The centre further reports that in 2021, the homeless population in Wales and England registered a concerning surge of 20%, with a staggering 85% of the affected individuals falling below 65. Since 2010, the reduction and disruption of healthcare and mental health services, coupled with the cessation of aid for substance abuse issues, have left their indelible mark, evidenced by the fact that 36% of these individuals’ deaths are linked to drug and alcohol dependencies, while an additional 10% can be attributed to suicide.
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Charitable organisations are concerned about the homelessness crisis
According to the Independent, more than 30 charitable organisations in England recently told Rishi Sunak that they are worried about the government’s inability to fulfil its promise to end homelessness by 2024. In a letter to the Sunak government, these organisations pointed to the statistics and emphasised that the government is retreating from implementing its promise; They called on the UK government to take action to deliver on its promise to end homelessness. Rishi Sunak’s government has ignored the rising homelessness rate in England.
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High growth in homelessness statistics in England
According to official statistics, homelessness in England has entered a new phase since 2020; homelessness in England has grown by 75% from 2020 to March 2023, and the lack of a place to sleep by 170%. Statistics show that in the first quarter of this year, more than 74,000 British households turned to local councils and asked for help due to being at risk of homelessness.
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The criminalisation of homelessness by the UK Police
Studies show that the UK Police arrest them by criminalising homelessness. According to Guardian, 1,173 British homeless people have been arrested by the police since the government promised to abolish the two-century-old anti-vagrancy law. UK Police have arrested more than a thousand homeless people under the 19th-century law since 2021, as the government has made the repeal of the law conditional on its replacement with new rules.
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Increasing criticism of the UK Police
The anti-social behaviour strategy proposed by the cabinet of UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, positioned as an alternative to the abovementioned law, has encountered substantial backlash. Notably, the Crisis charity voiced its concerns, contending that the criminalisation of homelessness contributes to the deterioration of suburban neighbourhoods. Chief Executive of Crisis, Matt Downie, commented, “It is deeply troubling that an outdated and punitive legislative measure continues to be wielded against the most vulnerable segments of society, particularly when the UK government has pledged and enacted legislation to abolish it.”
The high number of arrests of homeless people in England
Based on data compiled by local governance specialist Jack Shaw, nearly four thousand homeless individuals have been arrested over the past five years. The Metropolitan Police Force accounted for the highest frequency of arrests involving homeless individuals. Shaw, the expert, conveyed, “The act of criminalising homelessness offers limited solutions to the underlying triggers of homelessness. Moreover, homeless individuals might withdraw from the support services designed to assist them if they perceive themselves as unjustly singled out.”
UK Police excuse for arresting homeless people.
Enacted in 1824 to disband impromptu military encampments occupied by destitute soldiers following the Napoleonic Wars, the Vagrancy Act addressing homelessness in England has evolved into a pretext for law enforcement to detain individuals without homes. Over the course of a decade, from 2008 to 2018, thousands of homeless individuals faced prosecution under this law’s provisions.
The worsening situation of child homelessness in England
Surveys show the worsening of child homelessness in England. According to Shelter, with the number of British homeless children passing the figure of 120 thousand, one out of every 100 children in England is homeless; This statistic is very worrying for children’s rights activists. The Shelter charity predicts that the number of homeless people, especially children in England, will increase due to the intensification of inflation and cost of living crises.
Social isolation and educational problems of homeless children
The institute’s executive director declared that homelessness or residing in provisional lodging has resulted in social seclusion and educational challenges for children without homes. An evaluation conducted by a shelter based on recent government data reveals that a substantial 5,300 families are presently residing in shelters and emergency accommodations, which are generally regarded as the most adverse form of provisional lodging. Within these settings, families often contend with overcrowding in confined spaces and the necessity to share hygiene amenities with unfamiliar individuals.
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Rishi Sunak’s government’s failure to solve the homelessness crisis
The escalating homelessness rate in England carries a range of adverse implications. Regrettably, homelessness in the UK has been undergoing a trajectory of worsening conditions, primarily attributed to the inadequacies of successive governmental administrations in effectively addressing this predicament. The inability of the government under the leadership of UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to provide a comprehensive resolution to this crisis has prompted significant unease among human rights organisations, raising profound concerns about the welfare of the homeless population in the country.
