Homelessness is in evidence all around us and yet, surprisingly the Government currently only recognises 464 rough sleepers throughout the entire country.
It is impossible to see these figures as realistic, when there are so many without a roof over their heads this Christmas. If we want to tackle the problem of rough sleeping effectively it is important to be realistic about the size of the problem; how can we confront something when we have no idea of its extent?
We’ve been calling on the Government to properly recognise the number of rough sleepers for several years, but Ministers have instead been satisfied to artificially massage down the numbers in what can only be described as a dishonest fashion. This approach undermines some of the great work done by homelessness organisations because no one seriously believes that there are only 464 people sleeping on our streets.
Homelessness is a complex problem and, to be fair, so is counting the number of people sleeping rough, but part of the problem is caused by the Government’s insistence on ‘bracketing down’ of the official homeless statistics. This deliberate undercounting is fundamentally dishonest because it either ignores or undercounts the returns from local authorities who do not carry out a more formal street count. This disingenuous approach minimises the official numbers, masks the true picture and thereby hinders the fight against homelessness.
We know that the best kind of administration is open and transparent, and so I pledge that a Conservative government will require an honest street count to take place, introducing measures to ensure that we have an accurate picture of the problem and banning the practice of ‘bracketing down’.
This approach builds on the work of the Conservative Homelessness Foundation which I launched with David Cameron 18 months ago and emphasises the Conservative party’s belief in the need for an honest and transparent approach to governing and tackling poverty.
A civilised society can be measured by the way in which it treats its citizens in the most dire state of need and if you want to improve the lives of those that are homeless we must at least be realistic about the scale of the problem.
Read our Conservative Homelessness Foundation reports here.
Comment by John Poynton on December 15, 2009 at 2:55 pm
It is vital that the homeless have access to benefits. My understanding is that currently they don’t because the system cannot deal with anyone without the identity of an address.
A National Credit Card, which I have elsewhere advocated for the partial funding of choice-based public services, would also provide the necessary identity requirements for homeless people who chose to apply for one. They should then be able to open a bank account, have a PO Box at a local post office as well as be paid benefits.
I suggest that a standard rate of housing benefit, perhaps sufficient to pay for lodgings, should be paid to all such homeless people whether or not they find such lodgings or other accommodation.
Comment by Steven Daily on December 16, 2009 at 9:33 am
Just have a look at watford for a great example of homelessness care from the conservatives.
a tory who has built a load of hideous Flats over the main attraction to the town and is now forcing the club into administration.
the conservatives have no chance of getting into government here!
Comment by Patsy Dye on December 16, 2009 at 8:18 pm
I manage a project in Harlow – I can honestly say the only support I have received is from Conservative MP’s. Our own Pospective MP (Conservative) visits the centre on a regular basis, the homeless treat him as a friend, as he does them. Speaking to each one after a welcoming shake of the hand. I have met Grant Shapps who is a very caring man he listened to our concerns and very importantly kept in touch. The world is not a pleasant place at the moment (especially if you are homeless) – I think the blues deserve a go – we all deserve better. More of the caring that Robert Halfon & Grant Shapps have displayed. I have hope for the future
Comment by George D on December 23, 2009 at 3:28 pm
How hilarious you saying this when your government will probably quadruple the number of homeless people! Remember Thatcher’s England? I bet you look back on all those people sleeping on park benches with glee, after all that is the Tories; rich get richer, poor get poorer.
Comment by John Earnshaw on January 13, 2010 at 11:01 am
Enough of all these ‘political technical phrases and jargon’, try and get ‘real’ and then you just might understand what it’s all about – YES, it’s people who have no where to live!
Who’s created this situation?
As a housing/regeneration practitioner for over 40 years, the answer is to get the local authority property owners off their back sides and bring all their empty properties back into use very quickly! YES, it’s as simple as that, if you really want to do!
In stead of encouraging ‘them’ to demolish our heritage under the Housing Market Renewal Pathfinders Innitiative (HMRI), why not look at areas of high housing waiting lists, like Liverpool, Manchester and Middlesborough and start doing some ‘urgent’ refurbishments to the many thousands of boarded up houses to cater for ‘our’ homeless people!
Sadly, this government and many local authorities have created homelessness because ‘they’ have other priorities and sadly once again, it is ‘they’ who can dramatically reduce it, that is ,if ‘they’ really wanted to!! BUT it’s all about priorities and it looks like reducing homelessness, is not one for this present government.
So one on, lets see a Conservative Government take the lead in 2010 and start eliminating all forms of homelessness in the UK!
Comment by Mr C Marsden on January 27, 2010 at 11:35 pm
I live in a conservative town in Bassetlaw and live in council/A1 housing property am self employed sometimes find it hard to make ends meet and all my conservative council/A1 housing say is “we will take you to court if you dont pay up” is this really the way to sort out homelessness in the uk i think not. Make rents and council tax more affordable for tentants then people might wish to have homes. Sometimes i think i would be better off living on the streets as at least i would not have to pay rent thats to high, gas, elec, water, tv. ect
A homeless care schame can look after me any day to be honest but then we would rather send money elsewhere in the world than look after people in this country. We are meant to be the United kingdom whats “United” about England or for that reason Great as in Great britan
Comment by alex kendall on January 30, 2010 at 9:50 am
Why have you not mentioned your performance at RICS Grant?? We would love a rematch with you & Bob On localism maybe you can bring your mates from the RTPI lots of love Alex