50 signatures reached
To: Lord Best
Lord Best, don't leave children to sleep on the streets!
Lord Best is not only a life peer in the House of Lords, he’s also a former Director of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, and sponsor of the Homelessness Reduction Bill. This Bill is supposed to reduce the number of homeless people in the UK, but with a ban on Housing Benefit for under 21s coming into force in April, the Bill will be limited in what it can do.
I became homeless between 15 and 19 after the support system failed me. I know how bad it gets. I’m asking Lord Best to change this Bill in a way which will make sure that councils house young homeless people. At the very least this should cover those between 16 and 19. The Government now expects young people of this age to be in education or training. In 2009, the House of Lords made it clear that young people, who haven’t been long out of school, are the responsibility of their Local Authority. This became known as the Southwark Judgement. This hasn’t been updated since the training age increased from 16 to 18. It’s time that this changed. I’m asking the Lords to send that message again.
I became homeless between 15 and 19 after the support system failed me. I know how bad it gets. I’m asking Lord Best to change this Bill in a way which will make sure that councils house young homeless people. At the very least this should cover those between 16 and 19. The Government now expects young people of this age to be in education or training. In 2009, the House of Lords made it clear that young people, who haven’t been long out of school, are the responsibility of their Local Authority. This became known as the Southwark Judgement. This hasn’t been updated since the training age increased from 16 to 18. It’s time that this changed. I’m asking the Lords to send that message again.
Why is this important?
While I’m making a lot of noise about 16 to 19 year olds, anybody up to 21 shouldn’t be ruled out. Young people of this age are highly likely to become mentally unwell. Making them homeless is only going to make the situation worse. There is guidance in place to tell councils that they need to consider issues like this that might make young people vulnerable – but this misses the point. Young people will always be vulnerable, they need a different kind of guidance and support than people with more life experience. It also isn’t right for councils to wait for illnesses to develop before taking action. This is the same message that is intended to be sent out by the Homelessness Reduction Bill.
The lives of young people and the jobs of the people that support them will be affected by this ban. I’m asking that Lord Best take action while he can, and change the Bill to protect the UK’s children.
An open and more detailed letter to Lord Best is available to view here:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1AwbhN8UGMdmINxXTDMGytM30E-NmrSjsbIRUHoUak9c/edit?usp=sharing
The lives of young people and the jobs of the people that support them will be affected by this ban. I’m asking that Lord Best take action while he can, and change the Bill to protect the UK’s children.
An open and more detailed letter to Lord Best is available to view here:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1AwbhN8UGMdmINxXTDMGytM30E-NmrSjsbIRUHoUak9c/edit?usp=sharing
How it will be delivered
I'm open to suggestions.
