In a blog for Huffington Post, Joe Anderson wrote: “This is the net result of eight years’ of austerity: A toxic mix of public service cuts, housing shortages, high rents, welfare changes, low wages, benefit sanctions and rising drug use. Earlier this week, the Public Accounts Committee reported what all of us working on the […]
A report by the Public Accounts Committee says there is an urgent need for joined-up strategy to help people and address underlying causes of homelessness. The report states that the extent of homelessness across England is a national crisis and that it is appalling that at any one time there are as many as 9,100 […]
It is unbelievable that, a time of record homelessness, over 11,000 homes have stood empty for over ten years. The data, collected by the Liberal Democrats through freedom of information requests to about 275 councils, showed 60,000 properties had been empty for two years or more, 23,000 for five years or more, and over 11,000 […]
The run up to Christmas should be a time of happiness, joy and lots of general loveliness however the reality can be very different. Venus’ Money Management Maestro, Jo Hughes, shares her top tips for reducing the cost of Chrimbo… “It’s meant to be the most wonderful time of the year, but for most of us, […]
The chair of house building firm Persimmon has resigned over his role in orchestrating a £100m-plus bonus for the company’s chief executive. According to a report in The Guardian, Nicholas Wrigley, the company’s chair and a former banker, said he regretted not capping the company’s bonus scheme and was leaving “in recognition of this omission”. […]
Homelessness is now a serious risk for working families with stable jobs who cannot find somewhere affordable to live after being evicted by private-sector landlords seeking higher rents. The local government ombudsman, Michael King, said nurses, taxi drivers, hospitality staff and council workers were among those assisted by his office after being made homeless and […]
A Home Office policy to deport rough sleepers from countries in the European Economic Area (EEA) has been ruled unlawful by the high court. Since 2016 the Home Office has designated rough sleeping as an abuse of EU free movement rights in its administrative removal policy. However, the court ruled that the Home Office’s position was […]
Syrian refugees make waffles and crepes and distribute them to the homeless in Liverpool. Abd al Rahman Safi, or ‘Safi’ as his friends know him, was shocked after finding a man shivering outside his new chocolate shop ‘Sweet & Cheese’ in Old Swan, when locking up one cold night last week. So much so that […]
Fire stations in Manchester open their doors to homeless people as the temperature drops below freezing. Common areas have been turned into temporary shelters in two emergency services centres to help house more rough sleepers in the city during the sub-zero conditions. Manchester Central and Ashton stations have converted areas in their buildings into living spaces […]
Liverpool’s emergency shelter for rough sleepers opened last week as temperatures across the city plummeted. The cold weather shelter, operated by the Whitechapel Centre is open from 8pm. The new centre is provided by Liverpool City Council and is based in Camden Street, off London Road, in what was a former dance studio. The previous shelter, at St […]
