TDS has launched a new partnership with homelessness charity Crisis today to explore and develop ideas for how the private rented sector can contribute to ending homelessness.
It comes amidst an ongoing homelessness crisis as official figures show that across England:
· Between January and March this year 86,520 households approached their local council for homelessness assistance and were deemed eligible for support, the highest since 2018 when the Homelessness Reduction Act was introduced.
· 117,450 households were in temporary accommodation as of 31st March, up 12 per cent from the same time last year. Of these, 17,750 were living in bed and breakfast accommodation, up 30 per cent from the same time last year.
Amidst a shortage of homes for social rent, the 2011 Localism Act gave councils the power to discharge their housing duty to homeless applicants by offering private rented accommodation. However, according to last year’s annual homelessness monitor, published by Crisis, 97 per cent of councils said that it had become more difficult to source private rentals for households experiencing or at risk of homelessness over the previous year.
The partnership will include:
· TDS Group funding to support specialist staff at six Crisis Skylight centres across the country to work with landlords and those facing homelessness to improve access to rental housing and help people sustain tenancies.
· Helping people experiencing homelessness with the costs of setting up a home in the private rented sector. This will include TDS providing money to help with deposits, fund new furniture and to help with the cost of travel to view properties.
· Undertaking research and developing evidence to inform policy makers on the best way to support those who are, or are at risk of homelessness, to access the private rented sector.
Dr Jennifer Harris, Head of Policy and Research at TDS Group said:
“The Government has rightly committed to developing a cross-government strategy to end homelessness for good. For all the challenges it faces, the private rented sector can play an important and positive role in helping to achieve this mission.
“Working with Crisis, landlords and those who face homelessness we will build the evidence needed to demonstrate how best to improve access to stable, secure and decent rented housing for those most in need.”
Additional information
· Details of the Government’s official homelessness statistics can be accessed at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/statutory-homelessness-in-england-january-to-march-2024/statutory-homelessness-in-england-january-to-march-2024#temporary-accommodation.
· A summary of the Crisis 2023 homelessness monitor can be accessed at; https://www.crisis.org.uk/media/dgimup4x/homelessness-monitor-england_exec-summary_2023_v11.pdf.
About Crisis
· Crisis is the national charity for people facing homelessness. It helps people directly out of homelessness, and campaigns for the social changes needed to solve it altogether.
· Further information about Crisis can be accessed at https://www.crisis.org.uk/.
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