Open letter to Robert Jenrick MP

More than 60 groups and charities write open letter to Robert Jenrick MP outlining grave concerns for homeless people.

MoH has joined forces with Haringey Migrant Support Centre to co-write a letter which has been signed by more than 60 front line community led groups and charities. It has also been signed by our Patron, The Rt. Rev the Lord Bishop of Salisbury.

Together we have written to Robert Jenrick MP outlining our concerns with government plans to end the Everyone In policy and highlighting weaknesses in the current strategy to end homelessness.

Responding to a statement by MHCLG on Sunday 24th May, we are calling on government to ensure that all homeless people will benefit from an extended Everyone In policy, including people with No Recourse to Public Funds who make up a large proportion of the rough sleeping population but who are currently not set to be provided for under the plans. The letter asks for NRPF rules to be urgently lifted in to ensure that thousands are not forced to return to the streets when the hotels close.

In addition, we are calling on the government to urgently clarify what will happen to the large numbers of people who are becoming newly homeless given the ongoing economic impacts of Corona Virus.

We outline grave concerns regarding winter provision, which is set to be vastly reduced due to public health requirements this year. The church halls and community centres usually used to house the majority of people who are rough sleeping will no longer be an option due to public health measures. Without action now this could be a humanitarian disaster, leaving people sleeping rough at significant risk of exposure during the colder months.

The letter acknowledges the huge achievement of accommodating more than 5,000 people in hotels, but calls for more funding and more flexible rules on homelessness duty to allow local authorities and the homelessness sector to properly address the devastating and ongoing impacts of Corona Virus on homeless and migrant communities both immediately and in the longer term.

You can read the full letter here: Open Letter to Robert Jenrick MP_Final

If you want to add your support to the letter click here!

#NoOneLeftOut