Long-term fate of the homeless in UK uncertain after Covid-19 emergency housing (TBL, 15 May 2020)

• The race to house Britain's homeless: After an unprecedented effort to get ‘Everyone In’, the long-term fate of the homeless is uncertain

• By Cat McShane. Published by the Bureau Local on 15 May 2020

• https://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/stories/2020-05-15/the-race-to-house-britains-homeless

• Summary:

  • "There has been an unprecedented effort to house the homeless across the UK and yet future support is uncertain.

  • Bureau Local, working with our network of journalists and engaged citizens, has discovered that:

    • (...) Contracts with hotels to house rough sleepers expire next month. In England, there is no long-term funding for the emergency hotels;

    • The Greater London Authority is trying to negotiate extensions to their hotel contracts and find the money to finance them; local authorities across England will be left to do the same. (...)

  • “The initial emergency response to the outbreak showed what can be done when the political will and leadership from central government is there - but if we retreat into a failed ‘business as usual’, handing the issue back to overstretched local councils with no ring-fenced funding, then we let down not just the thousands experiencing homelessness today, but many thousands more at risk from the economic downturn we are entering.”"

• Keywords: homeless, UK, Wales, England, coronavirus, Covid-19