PATH
  • Home
  • Accommodation Payments
  • What we do
    • About Homelessness
    • Our Services >
      • Plymouth Renting Access
      • Hardship Funds
      • Resettlement
      • Rough Sleeper Work
      • HISS Service
    • Refugee Integration Service
    • A Day In The Life...
    • Our Campaigns
  • What you can do
    • Donate to Path
    • Work with us
  • Landlords
    • EasyLet
    • Renting Access Service
    • HMOs
    • Tenancy Deposits
  • Information & Resources
    • Links and Resources
    • Housing Help
    • Property Standards >
      • Safety Standards
    • Rent, Benefits & Money
    • Energy Costs
  • Contact
  • Latest News & Articles
  • A Day In The Life...

Latest News and Articles

Challenging Times

17/1/2022

0 Comments

 
​In Britain, homelessness is not going away in 2022. If anything, things will get worse. There are many reasons.
Some are about housing supply, some about housing and other living costs and there are also issues about funding and provision of support. Seriously addressing homelessness takes commitment and also cross department working and cooperation in government. It also requires investment; but, arguably, not as much as not addressing it.
Some of the problems we have currently include:
  • Diversion of housing for Air B&B, reducing rental stock
  • Over-heated housing market, with sky high prices, in parts of the south west partly fuelled by people migrating from other areas
  • Therefore rising rents
  • Local Housing Allowance (Housing Benefit) having significantly decreased in value since 2010 and not relating to market rent levels
  • Many people on low incomes at a time of rising costs
  • Utility bills now becoming unaffordable for many people
There have been some attempts by government to provide help. The Rough Sleeper Initiative (RSI) funding that many councils get achieves great things; but it is about to be cut. And the Homelessness Reduction Act is built on many good intentions; but is too bureaucratic, putting capacity into processing people more than helping them.
What could be done?
  • We need more regulation, maybe licensing, for Air B&B
  • Second homes should face additional charges (Council Tax)
  • Local Housing Allowance must be increased
  • We need more help for people on low incomes
  • There should be more affordable housing, such as provided by housing associations
  • More, not less, funding, such as through RSI
  • The Homelessness Reduction Act should be re-focussed onto helping people
  • After years of cuts, councils need more funding and capacity to better play their vital role in this agenda
Ultimately, addressing homelessness or not is about prioritisation. Progress is definitely possible. But not obligatory.
0 Comments

    Author

    Write something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview.

    Archives

    October 2022
    January 2022
    August 2021
    May 2021
    October 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Picture
​Path is a member of The Plymouth Alliance


Legal
Privacy Notice
Website Terms & Conditions

Picture

P.A.T.H. (Plymouth Access to Housing) Ltd.

Contact us
​28-42 Harwell Court
​Plymouth
​PL1  1PY
Email: info@pathdevon.org 
​Tel: ​​01752 255889
Connect with us
Company Number 4478819. Charity Number 1097772 ​
​© COPYRIGHT 2017. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
  • Home
  • Accommodation Payments
  • What we do
    • About Homelessness
    • Our Services >
      • Plymouth Renting Access
      • Hardship Funds
      • Resettlement
      • Rough Sleeper Work
      • HISS Service
    • Refugee Integration Service
    • A Day In The Life...
    • Our Campaigns
  • What you can do
    • Donate to Path
    • Work with us
  • Landlords
    • EasyLet
    • Renting Access Service
    • HMOs
    • Tenancy Deposits
  • Information & Resources
    • Links and Resources
    • Housing Help
    • Property Standards >
      • Safety Standards
    • Rent, Benefits & Money
    • Energy Costs
  • Contact
  • Latest News & Articles
  • A Day In The Life...