Shadow Housing Minister, Thangam Debbonaire MP, in response to the announcement the government will build new homes for rough sleepers, said:

“Alongside local authorities and charities across the country, Labour have said that we must end rough sleeping for good and not put people back on the streets. It’s positive that government seem to have listened and we await the detail behind this announcement.

“The government must now also act to ensure that people who rent their home do not fall into arrears as result of coronavirus by strengthening the social security system and that those who have fallen into arrears are not evicted in July when the temporary evictions ban ends. If they don’t, the numbers of people who are homeless will rise sharply.”