Ending rough sleeping
With a new Prime Minister taking office, this year’s LGA annual conference theme, ‘From neighbourhoods to nations’, could not have proved timelier.
It served as a reminder that national ambitions are delivered locally. Whether tackling homelessness or supporting people with the cost of living, lasting change depends on a strong partnership between central and local government, and devolving power to communities.
That message was at the heart of our ‘Building lasting futures locally’ manifesto, launched at conference. The publication sets out a vision for a modern, mature partnership between national and local government, recognising local and strategic authorities as essential partners in delivering long-term change and improving outcomes for residents.
Conference also marked the beginning of a new chapter for the LGA, as we welcomed Cllr Eamonn O’Brien – Leader of Bury Council and portfolio holder for technical education and skills, and clean air on the Greater Manchester Combined Authority – as our new Chair.
In his first weeks in the role, Cllr O’Brien has already been engaging with ministers, ensuring that the priorities of councils are reflected in the Government’s early policymaking.
That engagement reflects the LGA’s offer to the new Prime Minister: a genuine partnership, backed by practical proposals, that can deliver meaningful improvements.
One of PM Andy Burnham’s early announcements has been to commit to ending rough sleeping in England.
This is an issue that resonates strongly across local government, with unprecedented levels of demand and financial costs spiralling, particularly on the cost of temporary accommodation.
Councils’ net spend on homelessness services has risen by £950 million (125 per cent) in real terms from 2019/20 to 2024/25, and there has been a 51.9 per cent increase in people requiring temporary accommodation in the same period.
While this highlights that the scale of the challenge should not be underestimated, it also presents an opportunity to build on the progress already being made in communities across the country.
The LGA’s recently published ‘Homelessness and rough sleeping strategy position statement 2026’ sets out how councils can support delivery of this ambition.
The statement recognises the Government’s focus on tackling homelessness while highlighting the need for long-term investment in prevention, increased delivery of social and affordable housing, and support to address growing pressures on temporary accommodation.
It also sets out practical recommendations to ensure councils have the funding, powers and certainty needed to prevent and reduce homelessness in their communities.
As the new Government develops its programme, the LGA will continue to champion the priorities set out in ‘Building lasting futures locally’ and looks forward to working closely with new and returning ministers to ensure local government remains at the heart of national reform.
That engagement will continue throughout the year, including at the Reform UK, Liberal Democrat, Labour, Green and Conservative Party conferences this autumn, where we will continue making the case for our members and ensuring the voice of local government is heard at the heart of national debate.
- Find out more about the LGA’s parliamentary and public affairs work. Our ‘Homelessness and rough sleeping strategy position statement 2026’ is available on the LGA website.