On 20 May, The Mayor of London and Greater London Authority launched the city’s Rough Sleeping Plan of Action 2025, which lays out the plan to end rough sleeping in London by 2030.

Key steps the Mayor of London will take include:
Working with boroughs and key partners to ensure people can get the help they need, as early and as simply as possible. A target has been set to replace the current practice of ‘verifying’ that someone is sleeping rough before they can access support, with an approach based on an assessment of people’s needs by 2028.
Prevent rough sleeping wherever possible, and improve early identification for people at risk, by building a new network of Ending Homelessness Hubs; establishing a new phoneline to prevent rough sleeping; and putting more support workers and volunteers in community settings to provide advice.
Deliver rapid, sustainable routes away from the streets, by delivering a ‘Homes off the Street’ programme to provide long-term housing and support options. This scheme will start with funding the renovation of up to 500 empty social homes, in need of refurbishment, for people at risk of rough sleeping. These will be offered on a long-term basis and combined with tailored support.

Rick Henderson, CEO at Homeless Link, the national membership body for frontline homelessness services, said: “Tragically, the number of people forced to sleep rough is at historically high levels, and London feels the repercussions of the housing crisis, sky-high cost of living and failure of our welfare safety net, particularly acutely.

“Homeless Link is delighted to see the Mayor’s new Plan of Action, which sets out robust and comprehensive actions to end the ‘vicious cycle’ of rough sleeping with prevention at its heart.

“We are proud to partner with the Greater London Authority to provide CHAIN, the UK’s most detailed and comprehensive source of information about rough sleeping. This ensures services work efficiently to provide people sleeping rough in London with the most appropriate support, enables commissioning bodies to monitor service effectiveness and supports policy makers to recognise trends in rough sleeping and identify emerging needs. Under the Plan of Action, CHAIN will receive investment, remaining a critical resource in efforts to end rough sleeping in the capital.

“It is vital that all local areas think strategically about the work they can do to prevent and end homelessness, but it is also critical that the national government strategy and investment is in place to support this work. Only then can we ensure the true collaboration needed to end homelessness for good.”