Homelessness rates have reached record levels and nowhere is this more obvious than in the capital. It was during my first few months of university when I discovered that a man who I passed every day on my way to campus, had sadly died the night before. The only record of his existence was a small post-it note taped to the wall.
Demand for Shelter Rises
Cases like this have been on the rise throughout the nation. Since records began in 2010, the number of people sleeping rough has risen by 120 per cent across the UK. In London, there were over 8,000 people sleeping rough in 2021/22; a number that has shot up to almost 12,000 in 2023/24.
As these numbers reach unprecedented levels, charities have had to fill in the gaps where the government has failed. The homelessness charity Crisis reports that demand for its services has risen by 25 per cent from 2023 to 2024. Glass Door, which operates several shelters in London, saw 80 per cent more people making applications for shelter spaces compared to the previous year.
We all know that austerity politics have rung our country dry and that the quality of public services has seriously decreased. Those far more intelligent than myself have spent hours debating what should be the responsibility of the state, and what should be left to the private or charity sectors. It is imperative, however, that this debate does not cross over into questions about solving homelessness. It is primarily the state’s fault that so many Britons sleep rough, and they should be the ones to fix it.
Unrealistic Rents & Limited Housing
Research from the Single Homeless Project reveals that when rents are over 32 per cent of the average income, homelessness rates increase dramatically. In London, the average person spends over half of their income on rent, so it’s little wonder why so much of the capital sleeps rough. Despite compelling evidence that reducing regulations to allow the private sector to build more houses will likely have a positive effect on decreasing rents (and so homelessness levels), this will take a while to implement. Time is of the essence for those who are homeless. The course of a few Parliaments may seem like a good timeframe for some, but for those on the street, each night is a gamble.
The state, however, has the power to make more immediate changes. Investing in social homes provides an immediate way for those with lower incomes to get a secure house, without relying on long-term market forces. Both Crisis and Shelter have long called on the government to build more subsidised housing. Instead, the government seems to be continuing the failed policies of the past.
In England, in 2023 just 9,561 social homes were built and 22,023 were either sold or demolished. Despite this, the Labour government has refused to set a target on building social houses as part of their policy to build 1,000,000 homes by the next election.
Trying to manipulate market forces to solve the crisis will work in the long term, but does nothing to help those who are fighting for their lives today. Freezing temperatures, charities on their knees, and shelters almost at full capacity leave our country’s homeless population facing a bleak future.
Benefits of Reducing Homelessness
Although we are already facing a squeeze on public funds, the economic benefits of reducing homelessness will pay for any short-term financial loss, several times over. Research from the Mayor of London shows that even a 1 per cent decrease in house prices in London could result in a £7.3 billion economic boost. Having a stable home is essential for holding down a good job. Getting more people off of the street means a stronger national labour force that can plug gaps where workers are needed most. From the NHS’s staffing crisis to the construction industry not having enough builders to reach Labour’s housing target, the economy needs more workers. And where better to look for them than on our streets?
Labour must make social housing a priority if they wish to avoid the well-trodden path of Tory failure. Private sector investment will bring positive benefits, but this simply isn’t enough for those on the streets today.
Private individuals and charities didn’t cause the housing crisis, and yet the lack of public policy seems to suggest that they did. The work that homeless organisations do is invaluable, but they are only filling in the gaps where the state has failed. In a better world, they should not exist.
In a political landscape where government policy suggests we should take responsibility for our problems, shouldn’t the state do the same?
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