- Suella Braverman has defended her decision to prohibit homeless people from using tents on British streets.
- To improve wraparound support, the government is collaborating with local authorities.
- The government is not living up to its promise to put an end to rough sleeping.
Suella Braverman, the UK’s home secretary, has defended her decision to prohibit homeless people from using tents on British streets.
With the number of rough sleepers rising and the government perceiving a rise in antisocial behavior, Braverman intends to take tough measures against tents that are an annoyance in urban areas. She has also suggested creating a civil offense for charities that give homeless people tents; these charities might be subject to fines.
Rough sleeping
To improve wraparound support, which includes treatment for drug and alcohol addiction, the government is collaborating with local authorities.
People’s inability to afford housing is the main cause of the housing crisis; private rents are at an all-time high, evictions are on the rise, and the cost of living is still out of control. The government is not living up to its promise to put an end to rough sleeping.
The government is considering implementing Braverman’s planned policies as part of its legislative agenda, which the king will present on Tuesday. Two provisions that would be added to a new criminal justice bill that would apply to both England and Wales might contain them.
The 1824 Vagrancy Act, which made rough sleeping and begging illegal, was to be replaced in part by the proposed legislation, which the government had promised to repeal last year.
A growing number of UK politicians and charities have issued warnings in response to the country’s growing homelessness crisis, which is being caused by a shortage of suitable housing.
According to the most recent annual data, 104,510 families were living in temporary housing as of March of this year, out of 157,640 homeless families in 2022/2023—a 12.1% increase from before the COVID-19 pandemic. The percentage of homeless persons between the ages of 65 and 74 has also increased significantly.
The government promised to spend £2 billion over the course of three years to implement a plan to end rough sleeping in England by 2024, which was published last year. According to a well-known charity that fights homelessness, the government is unlikely to meet this goal.
