The Government has announced £100m to tackle homelessness and eradicate rough sleeping in England by 2027.
The Rough Sleeping Strategy will focus on preventing people from becoming homeless by offering a range of support, including for mental health and addictions.
Responding to the announcement, YMCA Chief Executive Denise Hatton said:
“For too long rough sleeping has been on the rise and we welcome the Government’s extra funding to finally put an end to this national crisis of homelessness.
“YMCAs across the country see first-hand the devastating impact that rough sleeping can have on people’s lives, especially on young people.
“While the extra funding will support homeless people to get their lives back on track, it doesn’t go far enough in stopping people from becoming homeless in the first place.
“We’ve said over and over again that the housing market is broken and in dire need of fixing. The lack of house building, high rents, issues in the social security system and increased deposit demands are a toxic cocktail. Unless these issues are addressed and there are enough affordable homes, we won’t be able to truly eradicate homelessness for good.”