Homelessness and Rough Sleeping

Lord McKenzie of Luton Excerpts

Wednesday 24th July 2013 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Hanham]

My Lords, there are two important questions there. On the first, about rough sleeping, as noble Lords know and as I have made clear in this House, the Government are intent on stopping rough sleeping. There is the No Second Night Out initiative, in London, The Passage and other initiatives by organisations such as St Mungo’s and St Basils. There is support for rough sleepers and we do not expect them to have to stay rough sleeping for very long.

Regarding the second matter raised by the noble Lord, this is a new initiative that has just been undertaken by the City of Westminster to try to encourage those who should not be here and have not got accommodation to think about going home. It is intended to be helpful; I do not think that it is meant to be intimidating but to address the reality of the situation, as there are people coming here without jobs and accommodation.

[Lord McKenzie of Luton]

My Lords, are we not at the start of seeing the horrors of what the bedroom tax will produce? We know that homelessness will be fuelled by that tax. The Government have suggested that it is possible to stave off the effects of the bedroom tax by taking in a lodger—what advice would the Minister give to a family forced to consider this course of action?

[Baroness Hanham]

My Lords, there are people who would welcome having that single-room accommodation —there are students, people in the Armed Forces who are here for a short time, and people who do not have other accommodation. Those options are there if people choose to rent out a room. It would be subject always, of course, to their tenure, lease or arrangements with the local authority, but it is perfectly possible for them to do that. The situation with regard to having a spare room is such that we have to recognise that the welfare bill is enormous, it is £210 billion, and contributions need to be made to that.