‘Long term’ and ‘sustainable solutions’ are needed to tackle the ‘systemic’ roots of homelessness

The progress made in housing rough sleepers during the pandemic is under threat as a post-pandemic Manchester approaches, with poverty and its attendant misery on the increase across the region.

Manchester’s lead councillor on homelessness alongside service providers Centrepoint and Mustard Tree believe homelessness is set to increase as we emerge from lockdown.

Rough sleeping increases 34% across Manchester in a year

Despite the well publicised efforts of the Greater Manchester mayor and Manchester City Council to reduce rough sleeping, the Manchester street count in 2018 has seen a 34% rise compared to 2017. The street count is a single night snapshot, carried out between 1 October and 30 November, of people sleeping rough in a local […]

As Manchester gets no affordable housing from developers, Shelter urges end to planning evasion

Guest article from the Salford Star: Research by housing charity Shelter has shown that where ‘viability assessment’ has been used by developers in planning, 79% of affordable homes have been lost. Shelter looked at planning applications for eleven councils, including Manchester where no affordable houses were provided as developers used the get-out. Separate research by […]

Manchester needs to put Housing First to reduce homelessness

Walking around the city streets of the UK, it is impossible to miss the growing levels of homelessness. Ever more homeless people appear, asking for change or sheltering in doorways. Are they asleep, unconscious, or worse? It’s hard for passers-by to tell, and few are willing to check. It is often the most vulnerable people […]