Look Ahead responds to rising rough sleeping figures

Published: 1st March 2023
Megan Reynolds, Look Ahead’s Director of Homelessness and Complex Needs services responds to newly published government figures revealing a rise in rough sleeping in England.

A customer from one of Look Ahead's Homelessness Services.

The latest figures published by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities show an unacceptable rise in people sleeping rough in England. This combined with the financial pressures on homelessness services (as highlighted by the recent Homeless Link Survey) mean that people experiencing homelessness face greater risks than ever.

At Look Ahead, we believe that everyone deserves a safe, secure place to live, and support to sustain it.

The upcoming Spring budget presents an opportunity for the Government to make reducing homelessness a national priority, both in terms of action and funding. We urge the government to take  action to provide funds for local authorities to provide the necessary contract uplifts, in the context of rising energy costs, staff wages and inflation. Without this, the viability of homelessness services is threatened and more people will be left behind.