There is strong concern about the increase in rough sleeping (Image: Getty)
Rough sleeping has nearly doubled since the pandemic with crisis-hit councils spending more than ￡2billion a year on temporary accommodation, according to a new report which says those with no right to live in the UK should be required to leave. The Centre for Social Justice said a post-Covid surge in rough sleeping has been fuelled by “unprecedented levels of migration”. It found the number of rough sleepers from outside the UK has more than doubled since 2021, with “Romania, Eritrea and Poland being the most common non-UK countries of origin in London”.
The CSJ says that where appropriate, “support should be available to facilitate a return to an individual’s country of origin”. Those who have had their asylum claim rejected, who have overstayed their visa or who are in the UK illegally, “should be required to return,” it added, stating: “This approach is not only fair to taxpayers and essential to maintaining trust in the immigration and asylum system, but also vital to sustaining public support for efforts to end rough sleeping and homelessness”.
Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT
DON'T MISS
Powered by
'Strained' council must pay ￡18m to house Indian isles migrants on top of asylum seekers
Comments
The one big thing youngsters say is holding them back - the answer might surprise you
Comments
'Catastrophic!' Kemi Badenoch exposes Keir Starmer for 'flirting with wealth tax demands'
Comments
Labour could be plotting tax raid on 1 in 6 Brits later this year
Comments
Pensioners may have to budget extra ￡15,000 in retirement savings for 'stealth' tax
Comments
Keir Starmer refuses to rule out stealth income tax hike in PMQs bombshell
Comments
Huge boost to British expats living in 1 part of Spain as 20% tax cut announced
Comments
Labour's Heidi Alexander stutters through tense LBC grilling: 'Yes or no!'
Comments
Fury as Labour refuses to rule out fresh tax hikes targeting 1 group
Comments
Keir Starmer set to block fresh wealth tax raid despite pressure from Labour MPs
Comments
Keir Starmer told to 'explore' wealth tax on super rich
Comments
LBC's Nick Ferrari tears apart Labour's wealth tax proposal in a crushing blow to Starmer
Comments
Neil Kinnock demands new 2% wealth tax to fund Keir Starmer's ￡5bn U-turn
Comments
Angela Rayner's 1.5m new homes in crisis as locals rage against 'horrifying' plan
Comments
Sick note Britain! Welfare trap now means 'benefits pay ￡2,500 more than a job'
Comments
'I moved to Spain and claim the state pension - I can't afford life in the UK'
Comments
Massive tax hikes 'looming' as Kemi Badenoch issues major warning
Comments
Rachel Reeves has just one option left to stop UK going bust - and nobody will like it
Comments
Rachel Reeves set to hammer rich as Labour cabinet member makes admission live on BBC
Comments
State pension update as terms set out for triple lock review
Comments
'Strained' council must pay ￡18m to house Indian isles migrants on top of asylum seekers
Comments
The one big thing youngsters say is holding them back - the answer might surprise you
Comments
'Catastrophic!' Kemi Badenoch exposes Keir Starmer for 'flirting with wealth tax demands'
Comments
Labour could be plotting tax raid on 1 in 6 Brits later this year
Comments
Pensioners may have to budget extra ￡15,000 in retirement savings for 'stealth' tax
Comments
Keir Starmer refuses to rule out stealth income tax hike in PMQs bombshell
Comments
Huge boost to British expats living in 1 part of Spain as 20% tax cut announced
Comments
Labour's Heidi Alexander stutters through tense LBC grilling: 'Yes or no!'
Comments
Fury as Labour refuses to rule out fresh tax hikes targeting 1 group
Comments
Keir Starmer set to block fresh wealth tax raid despite pressure from Labour MPs
Comments
Keir Starmer told to 'explore' wealth tax on super rich
Comments
LBC's Nick Ferrari tears apart Labour's wealth tax proposal in a crushing blow to Starmer
Comments
Neil Kinnock demands new 2% wealth tax to fund Keir Starmer's ￡5bn U-turn
Comments
Angela Rayner's 1.5m new homes in crisis as locals rage against 'horrifying' plan
Comments
Sick note Britain! Welfare trap now means 'benefits pay ￡2,500 more than a job'
Comments
'I moved to Spain and claim the state pension - I can't afford life in the UK'
Comments
Massive tax hikes 'looming' as Kemi Badenoch issues major warning
Comments
Rachel Reeves has just one option left to stop UK going bust - and nobody will like it
Comments
Rachel Reeves set to hammer rich as Labour cabinet member makes admission live on BBC
Comments
State pension update as terms set out for triple lock review
Comments
'Strained' council must pay ￡18m to house Indian isles migrants on top of asylum seekers
Comments
The one big thing youngsters say is holding them back - the answer might surprise you
Comments
'Catastrophic!' Kemi Badenoch exposes Keir Starmer for 'flirting with wealth tax demands'
Comments
Labour could be plotting tax raid on 1 in 6 Brits later this year
Comments
Pensioners may have to budget extra ￡15,000 in retirement savings for 'stealth' tax
Comments
Keir Starmer refuses to rule out stealth income tax hike in PMQs bombshell
Comments
Huge boost to British expats living in 1 part of Spain as 20% tax cut announced
Comments
The respected think tank said the roll-out across England of a bold new scheme which provides people with permanent accommodation from the start and “intensive” support could save the taxpayer millions and transform lives. Places should be prioritised, it said, for people with a strong “local and UK connection”. It is demanding a fund to relocate civil servants is scrapped with the cash used to help men an women with nowhere to live. Overstretched councils, it warned, have been pushed to the “point of bankruptcy”.
The CSJ – founded by former Tory leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith – described the Housing First programme as the “most effective” way of helping “Britain’s most disadvantaged and entrenched rough sleepers”.
The scheme has been piloted in the Liverpool City Region, Greater Manchester and West Midlands, and the CSJ says that if rolled-out across England it would “take 5,571 people off the streets by 2029-30, a down payment on ending rough sleeping”. It insists it is “excellent value for money” with every ￡1 invested returning ￡2 to the taxpayer and society, in part through savings to the NHS and the criminal justice system.
Read more: Soldier who stopped in bus lane to help homeless man has fine SCRAPPED
Read more: 'Rough sleeping has increased by whopping 63% in London over past decade'
Andy Burnham, the Mayor of Greater Manchester, said: “Tackling homelessness is not just an economic imperative, but also a moral mission. Housing First is simple but powerful – safe and secure housing with no conditions attached, meaning people seek support without fear of become homeless again.
“If you set people up to succeed – they largely do. This report by the CSJ sets out a clear path for how the government can support the scale up of Housing First across England, so that every region can share in the success we’ve seen here in Greater Manchester.”
Andy Cook, the think tank’s chief executive, said Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner has a “unique opportunity to champion a national rollout which would be a gamechanger in the fight to end rough sleeping”.
Its researchers found English councils last year spent ￡2.3billion on temporary accommodation. They have calculated a national Housing First programme would cost ￡103million over four years.
The CSJ says this could be funded by measures including “scrapping relocation expenses for civil servants” and a “20% reduction in the programme which moves government departments into the regions”.
Steve Rotheram, the Mayor of the Liverpool City region, said: “Housing First is not just a successful pilot – it’s a model for reform. We’ve proven it works.
DON'T MISS
Powered by
'Strained' council must pay ￡18m to house Indian isles migrants on top of asylum seekers
Comments
The one big thing youngsters say is holding them back - the answer might surprise you
Comments
'Catastrophic!' Kemi Badenoch exposes Keir Starmer for 'flirting with wealth tax demands'
Comments
Labour could be plotting tax raid on 1 in 6 Brits later this year
Comments
Pensioners may have to budget extra ￡15,000 in retirement savings for 'stealth' tax
Comments
Keir Starmer refuses to rule out stealth income tax hike in PMQs bombshell
Comments
Huge boost to British expats living in 1 part of Spain as 20% tax cut announced
Comments
Labour's Heidi Alexander stutters through tense LBC grilling: 'Yes or no!'
Comments
Fury as Labour refuses to rule out fresh tax hikes targeting 1 group
Comments
Keir Starmer set to block fresh wealth tax raid despite pressure from Labour MPs
Comments
Keir Starmer told to 'explore' wealth tax on super rich
Comments
LBC's Nick Ferrari tears apart Labour's wealth tax proposal in a crushing blow to Starmer
Comments
Neil Kinnock demands new 2% wealth tax to fund Keir Starmer's ￡5bn U-turn
Comments
Angela Rayner's 1.5m new homes in crisis as locals rage against 'horrifying' plan
Comments
Sick note Britain! Welfare trap now means 'benefits pay ￡2,500 more than a job'
Comments
'I moved to Spain and claim the state pension - I can't afford life in the UK'
Comments
Massive tax hikes 'looming' as Kemi Badenoch issues major warning
Comments
Rachel Reeves has just one option left to stop UK going bust - and nobody will like it
Comments
Rachel Reeves set to hammer rich as Labour cabinet member makes admission live on BBC
Comments
State pension update as terms set out for triple lock review
Comments
'Strained' council must pay ￡18m to house Indian isles migrants on top of asylum seekers
Comments
The one big thing youngsters say is holding them back - the answer might surprise you
Comments
'Catastrophic!' Kemi Badenoch exposes Keir Starmer for 'flirting with wealth tax demands'
Comments
Labour could be plotting tax raid on 1 in 6 Brits later this year
Comments
Pensioners may have to budget extra ￡15,000 in retirement savings for 'stealth' tax
Comments
Keir Starmer refuses to rule out stealth income tax hike in PMQs bombshell
Comments
Huge boost to British expats living in 1 part of Spain as 20% tax cut announced
Comments
Labour's Heidi Alexander stutters through tense LBC grilling: 'Yes or no!'
Comments
Fury as Labour refuses to rule out fresh tax hikes targeting 1 group
Comments
Keir Starmer set to block fresh wealth tax raid despite pressure from Labour MPs
Comments
Keir Starmer told to 'explore' wealth tax on super rich
Comments
LBC's Nick Ferrari tears apart Labour's wealth tax proposal in a crushing blow to Starmer
Comments
Neil Kinnock demands new 2% wealth tax to fund Keir Starmer's ￡5bn U-turn
Comments
Angela Rayner's 1.5m new homes in crisis as locals rage against 'horrifying' plan
Comments
Sick note Britain! Welfare trap now means 'benefits pay ￡2,500 more than a job'
Comments
'I moved to Spain and claim the state pension - I can't afford life in the UK'
Comments
Massive tax hikes 'looming' as Kemi Badenoch issues major warning
Comments
Rachel Reeves has just one option left to stop UK going bust - and nobody will like it
Comments
Rachel Reeves set to hammer rich as Labour cabinet member makes admission live on BBC
Comments
State pension update as terms set out for triple lock review
Comments
'Strained' council must pay ￡18m to house Indian isles migrants on top of asylum seekers
Comments
The one big thing youngsters say is holding them back - the answer might surprise you
Comments
'Catastrophic!' Kemi Badenoch exposes Keir Starmer for 'flirting with wealth tax demands'
Comments
Labour could be plotting tax raid on 1 in 6 Brits later this year
Comments
Pensioners may have to budget extra ￡15,000 in retirement savings for 'stealth' tax
Comments
Keir Starmer refuses to rule out stealth income tax hike in PMQs bombshell
Comments
Huge boost to British expats living in 1 part of Spain as 20% tax cut announced
Comments
“Now we need to match that with ambition, and make it the foundation of a national mission to end homelessness for good.”
Mayors together: Steve Rotheram with Andy Burnham (Image: Getty)
A spokesperson for the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government spokesperson said: “We are taking urgent and decisive action to end homelessness, fix the foundations of local government and drive forward our plan for change. We are providing ￡1 billion for crucial homelessness and rough sleeping services including funding for Housing First and other forms of accommodation for people who sleep rough.
“This is alongside tackling the root causes by building 1.5 million new homes, abolishing section 21 no fault evictions and boosting social and affordable housing – backed by ￡39billion investment.”
SUBSCRIBE Invalid email
We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. Read our Privacy Policy
Read Next