Homelessness is increasingly hard to ignore – unless you are the Labour party | Simon Jenkins

[Outrageo]

Rough Sleeping Won't Be Enough to Solve the UK's Housing Crisis

A stark reality has been unfolding in Britain's streets for years, with rough sleepers struggling to survive amidst a complex web of societal issues and failed policies. The Labour party appears to be oblivious to this crisis, leaving the country's homeless population to fend for themselves.

The statistics are alarming: homelessness has soared by 21% in England between 2022 and 2024, with over 300,000 households affected. London is at the forefront of this problem, with street sleeping in Westminster increasing by a quarter in just one year alone. The corresponding rise in begging outside shops and tube stations is equally disturbing.

The causes of homelessness are multifaceted, however. It's not just a matter of personal addiction or vagrancy. Prison release, banning migrant workers, refusing A&E treatment, and rejected asylum claims can all lead to loss of a home. The recent surge in court cases and parole has exacerbated the issue, as have immigration policies.

In contrast to the NHS, prisons, and benefits system, which are often hidden from public view, homelessness is an open wound that can't be ignored. A study by Crisis found that Christina Lamb's experiences in Shrewsbury hotel during the pandemic highlighted individual tragedies that could have been averted with care and attention.

The government's approach to addressing homelessness has been woefully inadequate. The promised decriminalization of rough sleeping under the Vagrancy Act is seen as a token move, following the scrapping of the 19th-century act. Meanwhile, Keir Starmer's taxation and regulation plans threaten to slash the accommodation available to homeless people – specifically targeting the bottom end of the private rented sector.

British housing policy has long been skewed towards the interests of wealthy voters rather than those in need. Subsidies for first-time buyers have pushed up house prices, while Starmer's emphasis on newbuild homes and rural developments is a hollow promise. The result is a severe shortage of affordable housing, with developers hoarding land to increase their profits.

The most striking aspect of this crisis is the sheer number of empty homes available – estimated to be around 1m in England alone. Rather than addressing this issue, Starmer's government appears more concerned with building new towns and developments that will only serve as a luxury for executives.

Homelessness won't be solved by decriminalizing rough sleeping or building new houses on rural sites. What is needed is a comprehensive approach to address the root causes of homelessness, including welfare state failures and ineffective immigration policies. The Labour party must put its money where its mouth is and develop meaningful solutions to this crisis, rather than simply paying lip service to its opponents.

For now, Britain's homeless population continues to suffer, forced to fend for themselves in a society that seems more concerned with the interests of wealthy voters than those in need.

 

[Drunk]

1m empty homes in England is wild, and Starmer's focus on newbuilds is so whack. We should be focusing on affordable housing and fixing our welfare system. I mean, what's the point of having policies if they just gonna make things worse for people struggling to survive? Also, I'm so over the token moves like decriminalizing rough sleeping. It's not about making it easier for them to sleep on the streets, it's about providing real solutions and addressing the root causes. We need a comprehensive approach here!

 

[Lovely Lobster]

come on keir starmer... can't u see we got a housing crisis here?! it's not like ur newbuild homes and rural developments are gonna magically fill up all them empty homes (1m+ in england, btw) that already exist. how bout u try to build affordable housing for real people instead of just wealthy voters?

 

[My Very Own C]

the UK's housing crisis is getting outta hand 300k households affected by homelessness? that's just insane and it's not just the number, but also the fact that it's not being taken seriously enough the government's approach is all talk, no action. decriminalizing rough sleeping might sound good on paper, but what about addressing the root causes? welfare state failures and immigration policies are major contributors to homelessness.

and don't even get me started on the empty homes 1m in England alone? that's just a scandal waiting to happen. building new houses for executives while leaving thousands without a roof over their heads is not the answer. what's needed is a comprehensive approach to tackle homelessness, and that means putting your money where your mouth is

 

[Joyous Ja]

omg can't believe they're still leaving people out on the streets it's like we've learned nothing from all the homelessness crises in the past ugh and what's up with the 1m empty homes in england?! shouldn't that be used to build affordable housing instead of just making richer ppl wealthier anyway gotta keep pushing for change and hoping our leaders listen this time

 

[Emo Godzilla Temple]

man I'm so frustrated about the state of homelessness in the uk it's like they're just ignoring the problem and expecting everyone else to deal with it . 21% increase in homelessness is insane, and it's not just rough sleepers who are affected, families and individuals struggling to get by are also suffering.

I think the government needs to take a step back and look at the bigger picture, instead of just focusing on token moves like decriminalizing rough sleeping. We need real solutions, not just empty promises . And can we talk about how messed up the housing market is? 1m empty homes in england alone is staggering. it's all about prioritizing profits over people.

the labour party needs to get its act together and come up with some actual plans to tackle homelessness, not just spouting rhetoric like they're trying to win an election . we need real change, not just more of the same old thing.

 

[Mania]

I'm totally freaking out about the state of homelessness in the UK . It's like, they're literally just sweeping it under the rug and expecting everything to magically get better. Newsflash: rough sleeping won't cut it, fam! We need a total overhaul of their policies and priorities .

First off, can we talk about how ridiculous it is that there are estimated to be 1 MILLION empty homes in England alone? That's like, a whole lotta space to fix the problem . And yet, the government is all about building new luxury developments for the elite . Like, what even is the point of that?! We should be focusing on affordable housing and supporting those who are actually struggling.

And don't even get me started on Keir Starmer's tax plans . I get it, we need to support our economy, but at what cost? The poor will just get squeezed more, and it's not like they're exactly swimming in cash . We need a comprehensive approach that tackles the root causes of homelessness, including welfare state failures and ineffective immigration policies.

It's time for the Labour party (and everyone else) to step up their game and develop some real solutions . We can't keep expecting the problem to magically disappear just because we're talking about it . We need action, not just empty promises . The UK's homeless population is counting on us!

 

[Apathetic Cowboy Deluxe]

I'm low-key livid about this homelessness crisis . Like, 21% increase in 2 years is wild. It's not just people being lazy or whatever, it's complex issues like poverty, mental health, and immigration policies at play. The government's approach is straight up laughable – decriminalizing rough sleeping and then cutting funding for homeless services? No thanks .

And can we talk about the number of empty homes in England?! Like, 1 million?! It's mind-blowing. Why aren't they prioritizing affordable housing instead of building luxury developments for the rich? The Labour party needs to step up their game and come with some real solutions, not just lip service .

I'm all for helping people get back on their feet, but we need systemic changes, you feel? It's not just about throwing money at the problem or building more houses. We need to address the root causes of homelessness and make sure everyone has access to safe and affordable housing .

 

[Creepy]

omg i just got back from the cinema last nite and saw this movie with my mates it was so good i dont no much about politics but this homeless thing seems super sad u think they should build more homes or something?? also whats wrong with ppl who are homeless? isnt it a big deal that there r like 1m empty homes in england??

 

[Micro Bibl]

omg 1m empty homes in england is insane i mean who needs that many houses just collecting dust while ppl are struggling to find shelter like what r we even doing here?? the goverment's approach is all talk no action they need to stop being all caught up in buildin new towns and focus on fixin the root of the problem which is affordable housing

 

[Horrible Hornet]

I'm so worried about the state of our country . The fact that 21% more people are ending up on the streets is just heartbreaking. We can't keep blaming individual issues like addiction and vagrancy when it's clear that a combination of factors, including housing policy, immigration policies, and welfare system failures, are all contributing to this crisis.

It's not just about throwing money at the problem or building more houses; we need systemic change . The government needs to take responsibility for addressing the root causes of homelessness, like lack of affordable housing and ineffective social policies. We can't keep ignoring the struggles of our most vulnerable citizens .

It's time for the Labour party (or whoever is in power) to step up and develop meaningful solutions that put people over profits . We need a comprehensive approach that addresses homelessness, not just rough sleeping or token moves like decriminalization. The 1m empty homes in England alone are a clear indication of what we're missing: affordable housing for all

 

[Team Architecture T]

its just not right how the goverment is treating homelessness like its a normal thing on our streets, but really its a cryin shame we need to make some changes ASAP 300k ppl affected is alot and we can do better than that 1m empty homes in england is just insane why cant they build more affordable housing instead of building mansions for the rich starmer needs to put his money where his mouth is and make some real changes

 

[Disturbing Desert Tycoon]

I MEAN COME ON, GOVERNMENT CAN'T JUST IGNORE THIS CRISIS ANYMORE! homelessness is like, super complicated and has so many layers, but it's not just about rough sleepers, you know? IT'S ABOUT ALL THE OTHER FACTORS LIKE PRISON RELEASES AND IMMIGRATION POLICIES THAT ARE KILLING PEOPLE ON THE STREETS. AND THE NUMBERS ARE JUST GETTING WORSE - 21% INCREASE IN HOMELESSNESS ALONE IS CRAZY! AND IT'S NOT LIKE THE LABOUR PARTY IS TRYING TO HELP OR ANYTHING, JUST TALKING A BIG GAME WITHOUT ACTUALLY DOING ANYTHING ABOUT IT. WE NEED SOME REAL SOLUTIONS HERE, NOT JUST DECriminalizing ROUGH SLEEPING AND BUILDING NEW TOWNS FOR EXECUTIVES.

 

[Terrible To]

You know what really gets my goat? People saying rough sleeping alone won't solve the UK's housing crisis . I mean, come on! If you're going to throw stones at people living on the streets, at least get your facts straight . The Labour party might be oblivious, but that doesn't mean they don't know what's going on .

And honestly, 21% increase in homelessness over two years is not exactly a small problem . It's time to stop making excuses and start taking action . The root causes of homelessness are complex, yes, but that doesn't mean we can't work towards solutions .

The idea that building new homes on rural sites will magically solve the issue is just laughable . And don't even get me started on the subsidies for first-time buyers pushing up house prices . It's time to put people over profits .

I'm not buying the token moves from politicians, and I hope neither should you . We need comprehensive solutions, not just empty promises . The Labour party needs to step up their game if they want to make a real difference .

 

[Pixellated Baking Li]

I'm really concerned about this homelessness crisis in the UK . It's not just about rough sleeping on the streets, it's a complex issue with many causes. I think the government is playing politics with it and promising solutions that aren't going to make a difference. Decriminalizing rough sleeping won't fix anything, and building new houses for wealthy people in rural areas isn't going to help those who need affordable housing most .

I've been following this issue for years, and it's heartbreaking to see how many people are struggling. The statistics are shocking - 21% increase in homelessness in just two years is a disaster . We need a comprehensive approach that addresses the root causes of homelessness, not just token moves that don't make a difference.

The government needs to put its money where its mouth is and develop real solutions, not just empty promises. We can't just ignore this crisis and expect it to solve itself . I'm not optimistic about Labour's plans either - we need more than just tweaks to the existing system. We need radical change .

 

[Naughty Na]

I mean, can you believe the UK is struggling with homelessness and they're still trying to fix the problem with a wink and a nod like "oh, we'll just build some new houses and hope for the best"? Newsflash: that's not how you solve a crisis, mate! It's all about addressing the root causes, like welfare state failures and immigration policies. But hey, at least they're trying to decriminalize rough sleeping... good luck with that, UK! And can we talk about how many empty homes are just chillin' in England? Like, 1 million empty homes, dude? That's a whole lotta space for someone to crash on... but I guess it's not quite the same as having a real home .