This House of Lords Library briefing contains background information on homelessness, including causes, statistics and government and local authority policies in preparation for the forthcoming question for short debate on how Her Majesty’s Government plans to deal with homelessness on 7 September 2016.
Homelessness (160 KB , PDF)
Homelessness is defined more widely than sleeping rough on the streets and includes those living in shelters, temporary accommodation, ‘sofa surfing’ with friends or relatives or living in squats. Individuals may also be statutorily homeless if they meet specific legislative criteria. Individual, interpersonal and structural factors play a role in the cause of homelessness.
This House of Lords Library briefing provides information about homelessness under a wide definition ranging from statutory homelessness, rough sleeping and ‘hidden homelessness’. Referring to recent research, it also summarises information about youth homelessness, including causes and statistics, and considers some of the general causes of homelessness with reference to individual, interpersonal and structural factors. Finally, with the Government stating on 17 December 2015 that they were considering their options, including legislation, in relation to homelessness, the briefing highlights an independent review of homelessness legislation in England that proposes amendments to current legislation in light of changes brought in in Scotland and Wales.
Homelessness (160 KB , PDF)
The government has made several proposals to increase housing supply and improve the quality of homes. This includes prioritising building housing on brownfield sites and reforming the national planning policy framework. However, there are concerns that the development of such homes can impact surrounding communities, affecting factors such as green spaces, local infrastructure and public services.
The Asylum Support (Prescribed Period) Bill [HL] is a private member’s bill introduced by Baroness Lister of Burtersett (Labour). It was introduced in the House of Lords on 6 September 2024 and is due to have its second reading on 13 December 2024.
![Asylum Support (Prescribed Period) Bill [HL]: HL Bill 25 of 2024–25](https://lordslibrary.parliament.uk/content/uploads/sites/2/2020/09/Housing-568x426.png)
Homelessness and housing sector commentators argue that there is an undersupply of affordable housing, which they suggest is a key driver of homelessness. Successive governments have sought to address the issue of homelessness in part by increasing the supply of affordable homes and improving the quality of existing accommodation. The current government’s new taskforce on homelessness says it will seek to increase the supply and security of housing.
