More ambition needed from Sadiq Khan say homelessness charities

Following the release of Sadiq Khan's London mayoral manifesto, homelessness charities Crisis, St Mungo's and Centrepoint have welcomed his pledge to build genuinely affordable homes to rent as vital to arresting London's number one cause of homelessness - the end of a private tenancy.

New, low-cost rental homes will also help the many Londoners stuck in homeless hostels and supported housing who have nowhere genuinely affordable to move to.

Sadiq’s pledge to tackle the rise in rough sleeping in the capital and his commitment to focus on youth homelessness prevention also represent important steps in the fight to arrest the rise in homelessness. 

However, Sadiq’s manifesto was a real opportunity to put down a marker in the mayoral race; to show the people of London that he is truly committed to tackling the capital’s wide-ranging and complex homelessness issues. Sadly, it falls short of the ambition and leadership needed.

The next Mayor has the power to make London a world leader in tackling and preventing homelessness, but effecting the change the capital so desperately needs requires an ambitious, overarching plan that addresses all types of homelessness. 

Only by supporting changes to the law so no one can be turned away by their council to sleep rough, by pledging to widen the scope of homelessness prevention beyond under-25s and by committing to implement a Housing First programme for people sleeping on the streets, will the next Mayor be able to truly end homelessness. 

Londoners care deeply about the homelessness crisis facing their city – it is time for the mayoral candidates to act. Crisis, St Mungo’s and Centrepoint look forward to working with Sadiq in the run-up to the election to discuss how he can turn his pledges into wide ranging action to tackle homelessness.

Crisis Chief Executive Jon Sparkes said: 

“The next Mayor of London has the power to reverse the deepening homelessness crisis in the capital, but only by employing a radical and wide-ranging approach. This can’t come soon enough – the last five years has seen an unprecedented rise in rough sleeping in the capital, with many more Londoners struggling to find an affordable place to call their own. 

“Mr Khan has shown willing to confront some issues, but unless he builds on these pledges he is danger of leaving unrealised the great potential the next Mayor to has to end homelessness in the capital.” 

St Mungo’s Chief Executive Howard Sinclair said:

“Rough sleeping in London is on the rise and it is more urgent than ever that we do more to prevent people ending up in this dangerous and harmful situation. Mr Khan’s manifesto focus on rough sleeping and tackling the housing crisis is very welcome, but to end rough sleeping we now need to see a firm commitment to expand services to meet growing and changing demand, including the No First Night Out approach to give all London boroughs the tools to prevent rough sleeping, and invest in the right housing specifically designed to support rough sleepers to rebuild their lives away from the street for good.” 

Centrepoint Chief Executive Seyi Obakin said:

“The inclusion by one of the major mayoral candidates of a specific pledge to tackle youth homelessness and support young people into training and employment is a big step forward. 

“Mr Khan’s recognition that more must be done to help young people move on from hostels when the time comes, and to invest in services to prevent homelessness and family breakdown in the first place, throws down an ambitious challenge to the other candidates.”