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APPG meets with the new Minister for Homelessness

The latest meeting of the APPG for Ending Homelessness welcomed Florence Eshalomi MP, the new Minister for Homelessness, Democracy, Communities and Faith.

The Minister discussed the Prime Minister’s commitment to ending rough sleeping and heard from an expert panel how affordable homes are needed for that work to succeed and for the delivery of his national housing first philosophy.

The panel included an expert by experience, Matt Downie - CEO of Crisis, James Walker - Strategic Lead on Homelessness and Migration at the Greater Manchester Combined Authority and Maya Singer-Hobbs - Senior Research Fellow at IPPR and IPPR North.

The panel called for various ways to make housing more affordable and support a housing-led approach, including:

  • by immediately restoring the link between Local Housing Allowance and the real cost of renting
  • in the long-term, unleashing the capacity of Councils and Housing Associations to build social homes
  • removing barriers within homelessness legislation, including reform of the priority need framework
  • ensuring nobody leaves prison, care, hospital or other public services into homelessness
  • establishing a cross-government focus on preventing homelessness in the first place

The APPG is ready to match the ambition set out in this meeting by Government, Steering Group members and Parliamentarians to end rough sleeping and get us back on track to ending homelessness.

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