Homelessness support claims fall in Burnley

The Local Government Association has urged leaders to provide "desperately needed" social housing, with council homelessness services already under pressure before the COVID-19 crisis hit.

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government data shows 501 households were assessed as entitled to help from the council in Burnley in the year to March. That was down from 672 the year before – a 25% decrease.

It contrasted with the picture across England however, where 288,470 households were owed a homelessness prevention or relief duty in the 2019-20 financial year, rising by 7% from 269,500 a year earlier.

David Renard, the Local Government Association's housing spokesperson, said the figures highlight "increased demand pressures" on councils.

“The long-term impact of coronavirus on council homelessness services, which were already under significant pressures before the pandemic, is currently unclear," he added.

"It is vital that the Spending Review shifts the Government’s focus towards the key drivers of homelessness, including a lack of affordable housing, welfare-related poverty, and a lack of an integrated prevention approach."

Across England, a quarter of households owed help to relieve or prevent homelessness included a person in full or part-time work.

Of the lead applicants from these households, 25.9% (74,580) were in employment and 30.5% (88,030) were registered as unemployed.

The Homelessness Reduction Act, introduced in 2018, placed a duty on councils to try to prevent homelessness, and on public bodies to refer those at risk of becoming homeless to the local authority's housing department.

An MHCLG spokesman said it is ensuring more people get the help they need to prevent them from becoming homeless.

He added: "We’re committed to breaking the cycle of homelessness and ending rough sleeping for good, and the Government has allocated over half a billion pounds this year to protect some of the most vulnerable people in society."