Letters | 6 December 2018

Sleeping on the streets

Sir: Mark Palmer claims that ‘homelessness is hardly a top government priority’ (‘Home truths’, 1 December). I was disappointed to read this, given the ambition of this government to make rough sleeping a thing of the past.

As I have said previously in this magazine, we are committed to supporting people off the streets and have committed £1.2 billion to tackle all forms of homelessness. We are working tirelessly to end rough sleeping by 2027 and have outlined our long-term plan — backed by £100 million — to get people into a safe and secure home where they can rebuild their lives. We have also dedicated £28 million to the innovative Housing First pilots, and I am delighted to say the first residents supported by the scheme are moving into their new homes in the coming weeks.

But this funding is just the beginning. I have also placed a new duty on councils so that they are legally required to not just provide support for the homeless, but to prevent people from becoming homeless in the first place.