Ending homelessness during a pandemic

Hannah Gousy, Head of Policy and Campaigns

27.03.2020

The Coronavirus has ushered in unprecedented and uncertain times for all of us, but there’s no doubting that people facing homelessness are hit uniquely hard by the pandemic. Those forced to sleep rough are more likely to suffer from respiratory conditions and other illnesses that will make them particularly vulnerable to the virus. And if someone is sleeping rough or in a crowded night shelter, it’s simply impossible to follow the government advice and self-isolate. We also know that as the pandemic takes hold there will be many more people who face being pushed into homelessness, either because they become ill or lose their job.

We all have a role to play in protecting the people who need us most. This includes our amazing frontline workers determined and committed to keeping our services open remotely. We are also helping other grassroots homeless charities provide vital services to ensure they can carry on supporting people.

The Government also have a fundamental role to play.

Along with other homelessness charities, we published an open letter to the Prime Minister and the First Ministers of Scotland and Wales, calling for a comprehensive plan to support people facing homelessness.  

And we’ve already begun to see some action. But we have much further to go to ensure that people facing homelessness during the pandemic are properly housed and provided with the support and health care required.

What more is needed

A nationally coordinated plan to get people into housing

National Governments in England, Scotland and Wales have sent a clear message that people sleeping rough or in homeless accommodation that doesn’t allow people to self-isolate should be assisted into self-contained accommodation.

In an unprecedented move, the Westminster Government has written to local authorities in England asking them to house all people sleeping rough, and those in hostels and night shelters, by this weekend. Questions remain about how local councils will be supported to do this, and whether additional funding, or assistance securing hotel rooms, will be made available. We also need to see a package of support so that, when the outbreak subsides, the outcome is not that people return to the streets.

To achieve this ambition, it will be essential for government to take the following measures:

• Launch a national appeal for accommodation, including empty apartment blocks and hotels.
• Establish a dedicated stream of funding to go to local authorities, paying for:
  • The up-front costs of accommodating everyone who is on the streets and in shelters.
  • The specialist support people need once they are in hotels etc.
• For restrictions on housing benefit to be lifted, allowing councils to rehouse people with no recourse to public funds.
• Additional Discretionary Housing Payment to support tenants to remain in their home.
• To instruct councils that no legal barriers to help should be used, including local connection, ‘intentional’ homelessness, or priority need.
• For hostile environment policies that keep people homeless to be suspended, particularly the Right to Rent checks that landlords have to do.
• Suspend all evictions from Home Office asylum accommodation.
• A comprehensive plan to ensure that people don’t return to the streets or shelter when the pandemic is over.

A robust welfare safety net

The Westminster Government have committed to reinvesting in Local Housing Allowance rates (Housing Benefit) so that they cover the cheapest third of rents. This will come into effect across the whole of the UK from 1st April. This is very welcome news, and we want to say a huge thanks to Crisis supporters who have over the last year raised the ask high on the UK Government’s agenda and built the political will to make this change.

But there are a number of other changes that we believe the Westminster Government could put in place quickly to help people who are struggling in the wake of the pandemic to keep a roof over their heads. These include:

• Additional funds (Discretionary Housing Payments) for local authorities to support families who are struggling to pay their rent.
• Advanced non-repayable grants for people claiming Universal Credit so that they are not left struggling while they wait five weeks for their first payment.
• A temporary suspension of deductions to Universal Credit payments.
• A temporary suspension of all sanctioning during the pandemic.

Protection for people who don’t ordinarily have access to public funds

Many of the people we work with are unable to access healthcare or housing because of No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF) and benefit restrictions. This includes EU and EEA migrants, people with existing visas, those whose status is not regularised, domestic workers and other migrant workers, and victims of trafficking and torture. It is critical that the commitment to provide accommodation to ensure people rough sleeping can self-isolate includes everyone, regardless of their immigration status or nationality. Emergency public health measures do not work unless they apply to everyone living in our communities.

That’s why, in addition to the measures outlined above we are recommending the following:

• The suspension of NRPF conditions for all migrants, enabling everyone to access Universal Credit and Statutory Sick Pay where needed.
• The suspension of all NHS charges.
• A commitment that NHS data will not be shared with the Home Office and used for immigration enforcement.
• An extension of the deadline for the EU Settlement Scheme and sufficient support made available to support people who are at risk of or experiencing homelessness so that vulnerable EU citizens living in the UK are able to successfully apply to the scheme.

 Banning evictions so that people can remain in their homes

A fundamental measure to ensuring that no one becomes homeless during this pandemic, is stopping people from losing the roof over their head. That’s why we have been calling on the Government to take measures to ban evictions in the social and private rented sector. Last night we were pleased see further action from the Westminster Government which will see all possession action already underway suspended (following instructions issued to the courts) so existing cases cannot proceed for 90 days, a period which can be extended. This also applies to tenants who have a license. Further, the period during which the 3-month notice applies has been extended until September. These measures will apply in England and Wales.

Final thoughts

While there is undoubtedly more that still needs to be done to make sure that everyone is housed, we have seen an incredible effort from government to support people during this time. While we will continue to work closely with government to make sure that these measures are as robust as possible, I also hope that we all take the time to learn lessons and take note so that during more ordinary times work is stepped up to end homelessness for the thousands of people who lose their home every year, more often than not because they lose their job or become sick.