Housing Secretary, Steve Reed, has pledged that homelessness numbers will decrease immediately. Reed expressed concern about the rising number of children in temporary housing and urged housing companies to increase building efforts. He acknowledged the heartbreaking sight of individuals sleeping on the streets.
While acknowledging the need to prioritize home construction, Reed hinted at reducing affordable housing building requirements in London. Recent data indicated a record 172,420 homeless children in temporary accommodation in England, the highest figure in the past two decades.
Reed emphasized that it would be a personal failure if homelessness figures do not decrease during his tenure. He committed to working with housing builders to expedite the process, aiming to address the moral issue of children in temporary accommodations and people living on the streets.
In a move to tackle homelessness, an additional £84 million has been allocated to assist rough sleepers before winter sets in. Reed engaged with major social and affordable housing firms to seek innovative ideas for utilizing the £39 billion government investment.
The government anticipates constructing 300,000 new social and affordable homes over the next decade through a 10-year investment plan. Efforts to enhance housing delivery include reforms to Right to Buy and the introduction of a 10-year social housing rent settlement.
Reports suggesting a potential reduction in affordable homes requirement in London have raised concerns. Despite pressure to abandon the controversial plans, Reed emphasized the necessity of social housing construction to provide stable housing for vulnerable groups.
Experts caution that the government’s target of building 1.5 million homes in England by 2029 may be at risk of failure. Prof Paul Cheshire highlighted doubts about meeting this ambitious goal in an interview with BBC Panorama.
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