Some councils are ‘still not getting it right’ when it comes to preventing people from becoming homeless, according to a report from the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman.
In response, the LGA called for the Government to bring forward its commitment to removing Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions, and to look at developing a cross-departmental prevention strategy that addresses the drivers and levers of homelessness.
The building of affordable homes must also be prioritised, and councils should be given the powers and resources to build 100,000 social homes a year to address the national shortage of affordable housing and reduce the number of people on social housing waiting lists.
An LGA spokesperson said: “Councils work incredibly hard to prevent the tragedy of homelessness from happening, as well as supporting those who find themselves affected.
“Homelessness pressures, combined with depleted social housing stock and an unaffordable private rented sector, feel like a perfect storm for already stretched services.”
Five years since the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017 came into effect, the ombudsman’s report highlights examples of where opportunities have been missed to prevent homelessness, provides advice on good practice, and suggests questions officers and councillors can ask to ensure their authorities are fulfilling their duties.
In 2021/22, the ombudsman service received 372 complaints about homelessness and upheld 75 per cent of the 126 investigations it carried out.