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The government’s homelessness taskforce has failed to hold a single meeting, despite being promised by a minister seven months ago.
In a parliamentary written question, shadow housing secretary John Healey asked on how many occasions the ministerial taskforce had met since it was established.
In response, junior homelessness minister Heather Wheeler said arrangements for the “inaugural” meeting “are currently being finalised”.
Inside Housing understands the ministerial taskforce will meet in March.
Previous homelessness minister, Marcus Jones, revealed the government was setting up a Homelessness Reduction Taskforce last year.
In July last year in response to a written question, Mr Jones said: “The government remains committed to combating homelessness and rough sleeping. No one should ever have to sleep rough. That is why we are aiming to halve rough sleeping by 2022 and eliminate it altogether by 2027.
“To achieve this, we will set up a new Homelessness Reduction Taskforce that will focus on prevention and affordable housing, and we will pilot a Housing First approach to tackle rough sleeping.”
Government figures published last month showed rough sleeping has continued to increase steeply, with 15% more people seen sleeping rough on one night in autumn 2017 compared to the previous year. The number of rough sleepers has more than doubled since 2010.
Chancellor Philip Hammond announced the taskforce in the Autumn Budget last November, with the aim of developing a cross-government strategy as part of the government’s commitment to halve rough sleeping by 2022 and eliminate it by 2027.
Communities secretary Sajid Javid announced a Rough Sleeping Advisory Panel alongside the taskforce. Members of the taskforce include Jon Sparkes, chief executive of Crisis; Polly Neate, chief executive of Shelter; Mark Lloyd, chief executive of the the Local Government Association; and combined authority mayors Andy Burnham and Andy Street. The panel met for the first time this month.
A Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government spokesperson said: “No one should be without a home and we are committed to halving rough sleeping by 2022.
“Our Rough Sleeping Advisory Panel, which includes leading experts from charities and local government, met for the first time this month and their work will help inform our upcoming ministerial taskforce.
“We are also investing £1bn to tackle all forms of homelessness, and we are bringing in the most ambitious reforms in decades this spring with our Homelessness Reduction Act.”
Our Cathy at 50 campaign calls on councils to explore Housing First as a default option for long-term rough sleepers and commission Housing First schemes, housing associations to identify additional stock for Housing First schemes and government to support five Housing First projects, collect evidence and distribute best practice.