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Policy & Reasearch
Gabriella Kumah
|
11 April 2024
Key organisations collectively urge Home Secretary to U-turn on plans to criminalise street homelessness in the Criminal Justice Bill
On April 11 2024, Chief Executive, YMCA England & Wales responds to the Government plans to tackle the on-going housing crisis.
Denise Hatton, Chief Executive, YMCA England & Wales:
“YMCA is concerned by Government plans to introduce tougher measures as part of a so-called ‘clamp down’ on street homelessness in England and Wales. Alongside 36 other organisations, we have written to Home Secretary, urging him to reconsider damaging proposals to fine and imprison people forced to sleep on our streets.
“Such measures fail to recognise the severity of the homelessness crisis that we face at present and, as the largest voluntary sector provider of supported housing in the country, we can say that bringing in sanctions on those on our streets is simply a distraction from addressing the wider systemic and chronic issues of housing supply in this country.
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Every young person should have the financial support to allow them to meet their essential needs.
“The current crisis is the result of a series of public policy failures in recent decades that has greatly exacerbated the issue of homelessness.
The lack of affordable housing options, insufficient mental health resources, and a limited safety net for those facing financial hardship have all played a significant role in the alarming rise in homelessness and the risk of homelessness. Reducing it to simply a matter of the use of tougher sanctions is irrelevant and does nothing to address these wider complex causes.
“As we continue to provide much needed support in times of crisis, we implore the Government to reconsider its stance and work alongside organisations like ours to address the root causes of homelessness. By addressing the systemic issues and not placing blame on the marginalised, we can build a more equitable and empathetic society for all.”