The Mayor of the West of England has welcomed the launch of a new National Plan to End Homelessness, backed by £3.5 billion of funding over the next three years. The strategy sets out ambitious pledges to halve long-term rough sleeping, end the unlawful use of B&Bs for families, and prevent more households from becoming homeless.
The plan has been shaped by people with lived experience of homelessness, frontline organisations, and members of the Inter-Ministerial Group on Homelessness. With winter underway and Christmas approaching, the pressures facing those at risk are acute – nationally, a family becomes homeless or threatened with homelessness every five minutes.
Key national measures include:
- A proposed ‘Duty to Collaborate’ requiring public bodies to work together to prevent homelessness, including targets to halve the number of people becoming homeless on their first night out of prison and ensure no eligible person is discharged to the street after a hospital stay.
- Action to halve long-term rough sleeping, supported by £124 million for new supported housing places for more than 2,500 people across England.
- £114 million of new funding for mayors and strategic authorities, with allocations due in the Local Government Finance Settlement, alongside duties to produce a Spatial Development Strategy.
- A £15 million Long-Term Rough Sleeping Innovation Programme and £37 million Ending Homelessness in Communities Programme to strengthen support through voluntary, community and faith organisations.
- Steps to end unlawful B&B use for families, backed by £950 million through the Fourth Round of the Local Authority Housing Fund to boost temporary housing supply, plus an expanded £30 million Emergency Accommodation Reduction Programme.
- An additional £50 million Homelessness Prevention Grant for local authorities in 2025/26.
West of England Mayor Helen Godwin commented:
“Homelessness has a deep and lasting impact on people’s lives, and we see the reality of that here in the West of England. This national strategy and funding are an important step forward – giving the resources to strengthen prevention, provide the temporary homes families desperately need, and putting collaboration and lived experience at the heart of tackling homelessness.
“Our regional partners including local councils, charities, and frontline teams work tirelessly to help people in incredibly difficult circumstances. With this renewed focus, we have a real opportunity to prevent more people from reaching crisis point and ensure that families and individuals get the secure, safe housing they deserve. I’m determined that our region plays its full part in delivering this national ambition to end homelessness."
The strategy complements recent reforms, including the Renters’ Rights Act, which ends Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions, and wider investment in social and affordable housing.
Every council will be required to publish a tailored homelessness action plan, supported by a new National Workforce Programme to provide training and expert advice for frontline teams. Progress will be monitored nationally through the Inter-Ministerial Group.
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