homelessness

The government’s commitment to accommodating the street homeless population

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The Government has announced that it is committed to accommodating the street homeless people, who have been taken into emergency accommodation, as part of the response to Coronavirus.

Since Street Talk was founded fifteen years ago, the numbers of women on the streets have multiplied. We have seen how austerity, accompanied by changes to the benefit system, not least the practice of sanctioning benefits, have put many vulnerable women on the street.

Street Talk is asking the government not only to fulfil their promise to accommodate people who have become homeless but to prevent homelessness by addressing the causes. If austerity has created street homelessness by marginalising the vulnerable, investment in services for vulnerable people would reverse it.

Street Talk asks the government to prevent vulnerable people from becoming homeless by committing to substantial and long term investment in:

  • Children’s services and support for vulnerable families
  • The profressionalisation of foster care
  • Mental health services
  • Support for those leaving the care system
  • Mental health care and rehabilitation for those in prison and housing and support following release
  • Legal aid