Jon Sparkes, chair of the Homelessness Action Group that is advising the housing and local government minister, reflects on its recommendations and explains the next phase of the work. Winter is on the way and across towns and cities in… Read more »
Homelessness
Winter pledge on rough sleeping
Housing minister Julie James has pledged immediate action to help more rough sleepers off the streets this winter in the wake of publication of the first report from the Homelessness Action Group. The minister has also welcomed the report’s recommendations… Read more »
Expert group meets on homelessness
Housing and local government minister Julie James has invited Jon Sparkes, chief executive of Crisis, to chair a Homelessness Action Group that will advise Welsh Government. The group of experts will look at: What approaches are needed to end homelessness… Read more »
California dreaming
We need action on mental health and homelessness – not another report, argues Antonia Forte. One of the perks of retirement is the ability to take extended and numerous holidays: I took one to California last month. Not a fan… Read more »
Draft Budget safeguards housing support
Funding for housing-related support will be ring-fenced for the rest of this Assembly term under Draft Budget plans proposed by finance secretary Mark Drakeford. Welsh Government had planned to combine ten government grants, including Supporting People, into one ‘super-grant’ for Early… Read more »
A partial debate about the housing crisis
Media narratives about the housing crisis concentrate too much on home ownership and not enough on social housing and homelessness, says Matt Dicks. Many of you may have watched the BBC Wales The Hour programme last month, a debate programme which… Read more »
Joint call for new funding system for housing support
A coalition of ten national housing and support organisations has come together to propose a new funding system for homelessness and housing-related support services ahead of a key debate in the National Assembly. The case for a new Homelessness and… Read more »
Abolish priority need to tackle rough sleeping, say AMs
A National Assembly committee is calling for the abolition of priority need and a series of other changes to reduce the number of people sleeping rough in Wales. In a report published on Friday, the Equality, Local Government and Communities… Read more »
Watchdog urges action on homelessness prevention
More work is needed to prevent homelessness despite good progress so far, says the Wales Audit Office (WAO). A report by the financial watchdog says that much of what causes homelessness is outside the control of councils and Welsh Government… Read more »
Making youth homelessness everybody’s business
Tamsin Stirling blogs on her trip to find out more about how organisations in the United States and Canada are tackling youth homelessness. I feel very lucky to have secured a travel fellowship from the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust to… Read more »