Labour urges government not to “stand idly by” as rough sleeping increases

Labour’s Paula Barker has urged ministers not to “stand idly by” while people are hit by a “toxic mix” of rising rents and the risk of no-fault eviction after it was revealed that the number of people sleeping rough rose for the first time since 2017.

According to Office for National Statistics data, released today, rough sleeping increased for the first time since 2017, though the figure remains below what it was at its 2017 peak.

The data is a snapshot of the situation covering one night in autumn 2022 when an estimated 3,069 people were sleeping rough in the United Kingdom – a 23% rise on the total in the previous year. In England, outside of London, 2,211 people were estimated to be sleeping rough on that night.

Commenting on the data, the shadow homelessness and rough sleeping minister said: “Despite a government promise to eradicate rough sleeping by the end of this parliament, the numbers of people sleeping rough is going up yet again.

“The government cannot stand idly by while a toxic mix of rising rents, the cost-of-living crisis and a failure to end no-fault evictions hit vulnerable people. Labour would immediately ban Section 21 evictions and stabilise the economy to support families struggling to make ends meet.”

A Department for Levelling Up, Communities and Housing spokesperson said: “We know there is more to do to help families at risk of losing their homes and to end rough sleeping for good.”

The housing charity Shelter found a 143% rise in no-fault Section 21 evictions by bailiffs between 2021 and 2022. Government statistics recorded a 26% rise in section 21 evictions as a whole in the first quarter of 2022.

The Tories committed to ending Section 21 evictions in their 2019 election manifesto. However, the government was criticised by housing groups in August last year for provisions in its renters reform bill that made it easier for landlords to evict tenants.

Addressing the Commons in November during oral questions to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, Barker declared: “We are now three years down the track from the publication of the 2019 Conservative manifesto promising to end Section 21.

“I note that the minister has committed today to ending Section 21 in this parliament, but may I push further and urge the Department to commit to bringing forward emergency legislation early in the new year to end this scandal, working with the opposition to do so?

“Will those on the government benches accept that, through their inaction, the Department is leaving tenants vulnerable to eviction in the meantime?”

In an interview with LabourList in December, the Labour frontbencher argued that the government has failed “absolutely catastrophically” on housing.

“The Tory government’s ambitions are limited. I think they talk a really good talk about ending rough sleeping by the end of the parliament. But they’ve talked a good talk on a lot of things and that is yet to be seen,” Barker said.

Highlighting research from the homelessness charity Crisis that estimated that 300,000 households could become homeless in the next year without a change in government policy, Barker said: “It doesn’t have to be this way. And under a Labour government, I have every faith that it won’t be.”

Asked specifically whether Labour is considering a system of rent caps or a rent freeze, Barker said she was “not averse to talking about that” but added: “We haven’t had that dialogue yet.”

Sadiq Khan has repeatedly called for the power to introduce a private sector rent freeze, citing soaring rents in the capital and polling suggesting 40% of Londoners are struggling to cover their rent payments.

The London mayor said last week: “London’s private renters are facing a triple whammy with rising rents, bills and the cost of household essentials putting a major strain on their finances. That’s why I’ve repeatedly called on the government to implement an immediate rent freeze in the capital.”