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Charities warn thousands at risk of returning to the streets as ‘Everyone In’ hotels close
More than one thousand people in London are at risk of returning to the streets as emergency accommodation used to house rough sleepers during the pandemic is wound down, charities have warned.
Figures published by Homeless Link show that 2,512 individuals are still living in hotels and other emergency accommodation in London following the government’s effort to house rough sleepers during the pandemic in a scheme known as Everyone In.
The figures were obtained by London Councils and are based on a survey of all London boroughs and the Greater London Authority (GLA).
Homeless Link warns that many of these people could end up returning to the streets when the Everyone In programme ends, alongside thousands of others living in hotels across the country.
It comes one day after Inside Housing reported that the government told councils to close the hotels they were using to house rough sleepers by the end of June, unless they had a direct agreement with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) to keep one open.
The government said the closure of hotels by this date was a key principle of the latest round of Rough Sleeping Initiative funding.
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In May, the government said 37,000 people had been supported as a result of the Everyone In scheme, of which 11,000 were still in some form of emergency accommodation.
Rick Henderson, chief executive of Homeless Link, commended the government for its “swift response in helping tens of thousands of people stay safe during the pandemic”, but said “the work of the past 15 months risks being undone” without “swift action”.
He said “a small number of councils have committed to continuing to accommodate people indefinitely”, but that few will have the finance to continue to house people in emergency accommodation once pandemic specific funding dries up.
“Local authorities need clear guidance and the necessary funding from government to support people still in hotels into more sustainable housing,” he added.
Neil Parkinson, co-head of casework at Glass Door, said the end of Everyone In “will mean some of the most vulnerable people in society will be returning to sleeping in doorways and on night buses”.
He said “a bit more time” is needed to help those living in emergency accommodation who are not eligible for benefits “find work and move on”.
Lee Buss-Blair, director of operations at Riverside, said: “Working closely with the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) and Manchester Council, we supported 286 people to move on from Everyone In hotel accommodation into more sustainable housing.
“Now that the hotel has closed, while GMCA’s continued commitment to A Bed Every Night will help reduce the numbers of people sleeping rough, without the appropriate funding required to continue to support people resettled through Everyone In, we risk people returning to the streets, resulting in a return to pre-pandemic levels of rough sleeping.”
An MHCLG spokesperson said: “The work of Everyone In is ongoing. We’ve made huge progress to bring rough sleepers off the streets during the pandemic and this work continues.
“We have been clear with councils and partners that everyone helped into accommodation must be offered the tailored support they need to move forwards and that no one should find themselves back on the street without this.
“Tackling rough sleeping and homelessness remains an absolute priority for the government and we are spending an unprecedented £750m over the next year to ensure we build on the progress we have made.”
