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James MurrayHow City Hall is ramping up rough sleeping services in London this winter
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan is determined to make sure there is a route off the streets for rough sleepers, writes James Murray
The rise in homelessness over recent years is a source of national shame.
In London, we see the impact of the government’s damaging policies most starkly through the number of rough sleepers that any Londoner or visitor to the capital cannot ignore.
At City Hall we are determined to do everything in our power to make sure there is an immediate, safe and sustainable route off the streets for every rough sleeper in London – while keeping up the pressure on ministers to tackle the root causes.
This year, the mayor of London has expanded his services, including by doubling his outreach teams, and by introducing a new mobile hub giving intensive support at rough sleeping ‘hotspots’.
He is also supporting other organisations who offer targeted help, such as the Outside Project, who run the UK’s first LGBTIQ+ night shelter, and Veterans Aid, who help former members of the armed services.
The mayor’s new services complement his existing ones, such as the No Second Night Out assessment hubs that provide a rapid response to new rough sleepers, and tenancy sustainment teams that support former rough sleepers in their accommodation.
During the winter, understandably the level of public concern for rough sleepers rises, and the level of support offered by City Hall, councils and the voluntary sector increases. When Sadiq Khan came to office, severe weather shelters only opened when three consecutive days of freezing temperatures were forecast.
“This year the mayor has strengthened the severe weather emergency protocol that covers shelters”
He changed the rules to make these shelters open on every single night when temperatures are forecast to fall to zero or below.
This year the mayor has strengthened the severe weather emergency protocol that covers shelters even further, by agreeing that it will be triggered London-wide when it is forecast to be freezing anywhere in the capital.
Furthermore, all London boroughs have signed up to the mayor’s ‘In For Good’ principle, which means that once someone has come inside, they will be accommodated until a future support plan for them is in place.
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It is clear that in winter, as throughout the year, support for London’s rough sleepers depends on the mayor working closely with London councils, charities and housing associations.
Councils help to provide core outreach and support services that are complemented by the mayor’s services, while housing associations are, for example, landlords of around 3,500 ‘clearing house’ homes, which are specifically earmarked for those exiting rough sleeping. Meanwhile charities, from small local churches to institutions like Crisis, provide direct help to thousands of homeless people every year.
And of course, Londoners themselves play a key part in helping rough sleepers. This winter, they are throwing their support behind the mayor’s rough sleeping campaign, with £169,686 raised so far, and more than 5,500 referrals to StreetLink – a service through which members of the public can connect rough sleepers with local services – in the first six weeks of the campaign alone.
But London cannot end homelessness on its own.
“The government has let rough sleeping get out of control”
Government ministers continue to fail to acknowledge and address the root causes of homelessness, including welfare changes, the lack of social housing, and the insecurity and unaffordability of the private rented sector.
The government has let rough sleeping get out of control, and its recently published Rough Sleeping Strategy does nothing to tackle the structural issues that fuel rough sleeping and stop us being able to tackle it properly.
It is vital that we keep up the pressure on the government to recognise that their policies and approaches are continuing to fuel homelessness.
Like all those Londoners who have supported the mayor’s winter rough sleeping campaign, we know it is our moral duty to do all we can to help rough sleepers off the streets of the capital. And together we must put as much pressure on government as possible to end homelessness for good.
James Murray, deputy mayor for housing and residential development, Greater London Authority
