Government asked for support to prevent surge in homelessness after coronavirus crisis
Leaders across the West Midlands have written to Government chiefs in a bid to prevent a post-coronavirus surge in homelessness.
West Midlands Combined Authority's (WMCA) Homeless Taskforce has written to bosses to introduce a range of new measures.
It comes after more than 800 existing or potential rough sleepers have been housed across the region amid the pandemic.
West Midlands Mayor Andy Street said: "The impact of Covid-19 has been severe across the whole of the West Midlands, but our local authorities have done a superb job in protecting our most vulnerable by offering accommodation to every single rough sleeper in the region.
"With so many rough sleepers now housed, we must capitalise on this unique opportunity created by coronavirus to take a major step forward in tackling homelessness.
"We must also be aware that as we move through this crisis, more people will fall into financial difficulty and present themselves as homeless, and we must do everything we can to protect and support them.
"That is why the Homelessness Taskforce has come up with a list of asks for the Government from the West Midlands, which will help improve our prevention work in the region, as well as help to protect those who are homeless now and those who are at risk of becoming so as the virus begins to ease."
The taskforce is formed of representatives from the WMCA's seven councils, public services, the voluntary sector and businesses.
It has called for the Government homelessness chief Dame Louise Casey to extend the scale and length of the Housing First scheme, as well as set-up a rent support scheme.
Austerity
The current period of no evictions in the rented sector should be extended by another three months, it says, with further incentives offered to increase house building.
The taskforce has also warned there is a "significant" risk of relationships falling apart during the lockdown as another factor leading to homelessness.
Councillor Sharon Thompson, chair of WMCA's members advisory group, said: "Austerity resulted in a homelessness crisis across the country and we cannot allow a repeat as the economy recovers from this pandemic.
"The measures we are calling for will help us sustain progress made at a very challenging time, whilst also equipping us for the challenges to come.
"Our ambition is to help prevent a further homelessness crisis in the coming months and years.
"We can only achieve this with a commitment from Government to provide adequate financial support and policy changes which will help to prevent people from falling into crisis in the first place."
