Opposition Debate on Homelessness

A second Opposition Debate was held on 29 January about homelessness. The national shame of high and rising homelessness is a direct result of decisions made by successive Conservative Governments: a steep drop in investment for affordable homes, crude cuts to housing benefit, reduced funding for homelessness services, and a lack of action to help private renters. The measure of any country is the way that it treats its most vulnerable citizens – in 2018, 726 people died homeless in England and Wales. The Government voted against our motion, which called on them to re-invest in local homelessness services. You can read the motion in full here: 

“That this House notes with concern that the number of people sleeping rough on the streets of England has more than doubled since 2010 and that the number of homeless children in temporary accommodation has risen to 127,000; further notes that the number of people dying homeless in England and Wales has risen to 726 people a year; recognises that by contrast there was an unprecedented fall in homelessness under a Labour Government by 2010; and calls on the Government to take action to end rough sleeping and tackle the root causes of rising homelessness starting by making 8,000 homes available for those with a history of rough sleeping, restoring funding for local housing allowance, and re-investing in local homelessness services, including £100m a year for emergency accommodation to save lives this winter.”