Legal News

Sajid Javid, Communities Secretary, unveiled a new report by the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ), in Parliament on Wednesday (March 15th), outlining the argument for easing welfare restrictions, which hinder the homeless in finding somewhere to live.

The report further highlighted the need for changes that included a new legal duty for local authorities to prevent homelessness, in an attempt to prevent more people from being affected by the plight of living on the streets.

Homelessness can lead to serious mental health issues and substance abuse, as well as familial issues and child poverty. Furthermore, the average age of death amongst the homeless is 47.

Official statistics show an alarming rise in homeless people. 2016 saw 4,136 people across the UK sleeping rough, according to official statistics – that is double the number of people from 2010. London is said to account for a little less than a quarter of this tally, but some charities suggest this number falls short of reflecting the true number of homeless people in London.

The CSJ says that a new Housing First strategy would be most appropriate in tackling the issue, by accommodating homeless people and thus providing them with support before addressing the other issues they may have, such as drug and alcohol addictions. The CSJ argues this would be more effective than requiring people to be “housing ready” before they are given somewhere to live. The report further posits that a prominent cause of homelessness is the lack of low-cost rented accommodation in London, which should be addressed.

The report uses the example of a study in New York to show how this strategy may be more successful, where “88 per cent of chronically homeless people were stably housed after five years”, The report also states that this strategy would require a fund of £110m, which is significantly less than the £550m to be invested by the Government in London by 2020. Sadiq Khan has also stated he will also seek to address the issue of homelessness in the capital.

Duncan Lewis Housing Solicitors

Duncan Lewis housing solicitors are one of the leading providers of Legal Aid housing advice to social housing tenants in the UK.

Duncan Lewis solicitors also have departments covering all areas of law, including immigration and family law – which may also be relevant in housing cases involving Judicial Review and homelessness matters.

In cases where an applicant is homeless and wishes to apply for Judicial Review of a housing matter, they are usually eligible for Legal Aid.

If a housing client is not eligible for Legal Aid, Duncan Lewis can usually offer a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA) and a set fee for the initial assessment of a housing case, so our clients always know what they will be paying.

There are Duncan Lewis offices across England and Wales and our housing team is also able to advise on: