CIH response to £84 million funding to tackle homelessness

CIH welcomes today’s government announcement of an additional £84 million to help councils tackle homelessness and support families living in temporary accommodation this winter, marked to coincide with World Homelessness Day.
 
This funding will provide much-needed immediate relief for people facing or experiencing homelessness - particularly families with children. Ensuring that families can access essentials like food, school travel and basic facilities is vital, especially as the cost of living and temporary accommodation pressures continue to rise.
 
Whilst this support is very welcome, lasting progress on homelessness will only come from a sustained focus on prevention and the delivery of genuinely affordable homes.

The latest government figures show record numbers of households in temporary accommodation, including nearly 170,000 children. Levels of rough sleeping have more than doubled since 2010. With rising homelessness across all parts of the UK and a record number of deaths were recorded in 2024 of those experiencing homelessness. Without tackling the underlying shortage of social housing, local authorities, support providers and public services will remain trapped in a cycle of emergency responses rather than long-term, life-changing solutions.
 
We therefore urge the government to:

• Set out a comprehensive, long-term strategy to end homelessness, underpinned by clear targets including reducing temporary accommodation use, reducing the number of rough sleepers, and ending discharge from institutions to street homelessness
• Use the forthcoming Autumn Budget to strengthen welfare and prevention funding so councils and partners can intervene earlier
• Ensure that homelessness support is joined up across health, housing, and social care.

As the professional body for housing, CIH stands ready to work with government, local authorities and the sector to make sure that no one is left without a safe, secure and affordable home  - not just this winter, but for good.

You can read the government announcement in full here.