Long-term plan needed to protect vulnerable households at ‘cliff-edge’ of homelessness now Covid-related bailiff eviction ban lifted in England

Local Government Association's six-point plan includes recommendation to accelerate the planned ending of ‘no fault evictions’ and to improve protection through the welfare system

The Local Government Association (LGA) has set out a six-point plan to protect vulnerable households at risk of eviction now that the ban on bailiff evictions has been lifted in England.

Highlighting that councils in England have successfully worked with central government during the pandemic to rapidly house 37,000 rough sleepers and homeless people, the LGA warns that this collaborative approach is also needed to protect households at risk of eviction with the Covid eviction ban having come to an end on 31 May 2021.

The measures outlined in the plan include -

• bringing forward the government’s pledge to end ‘no-fault evictions’ to prevent more households becoming homeless now the stay on bailiff proceedings has been lifted;
• improved protection through the welfare system - including by maintaining the £20 per week increase in universal credit, due to end in September 2021, and maintaining local housing allowance rates at the lowest third of market rents;
• an immediate review of the impact of the overall benefits cap in the context of the pandemic;
• providing councils with enough resources to support households at risk of homelessness including by restoring local welfare funding to at least £250 million a year and a review of the Discretionary Housing Payment scheme;
• increasing councils' ability to acquire empty homes, including by making it easier to use Compulsory Purchase Order powers to buy properties and help move households on from temporary accommodation; and
• proposals to support a ‘step-change' in social housing, by delivering 100,000 social homes for rent every year.

LGA housing spokesperson David Renard said -

‘The government was right to introduce the ban on evictions, and eviction enforcement, from the start of the pandemic. It gave vital reassurance to families who were at risk of losing their homes.

We also understand that the ban cannot last indefinitely. However, lifting the ban will leave some households at the cliff-edge of becoming homeless. This is why it is essential we ensure there is a safety net of support in place to prevent this from happening.

Our six-point plan would help ensure as many people as possible remain in their homes and go towards preventing homelessness from happening in the first place.’

For more information, see Plan needed to prevent families at ‘cliff-edge’ of homelessness when bailiff evictions ban ends from the LGA website.