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To: Prime minister Theresa May

House our Homeless with Support Hostels/Containers For Every Council #HouseOurHomeless

We are asking that National Government consider;

MAKE OUR HOMELESS HIGHEST PRIORITY FOR HOUSING. ** Homelessness Legislation amended

EVERY COUNCIL SHOULD HAVE THE TEMPORARY ACCOMMODATION FOR INTERIM BASIS

Please consider container homes as an alternative to bed and breakfast accommodation.

Why is this important?

We are currently seeing an ever growing number of homeless sleeping on the streets of ALL of our local towns just before the weather makes a turn.

We cannot hide from the fact we are in the middle of a national social housing crisis.

Pressure is needed to do up derelict homes and building and fill them not to mention our social housing stock increased.

Those that are eligible for social housing have to 'bid' for their new property and each will be issued a priority rating.

This can be different in different councils, so some may be on a point system of like our council, Thanet - a banding between 'A' being highest priority, and 'D' lowest.

What has caught my attention more than anything is how the priority for homelessness in many districts has gone from an A to an automatic 'C' for instance here in Thanet, leaving people on the streets or in bed and breakfast costing 4 - 5 times as much per week to the tax-payer as the rent for a bedsit or 1 bedroom flat.

We deal with those that are homeless and those facing homelessness day in day out with more rough sleepers than ever in our towns, cities and seaside areas.

We see young and old, able and disabled, those from many backgrounds or situations.

We see families torn apart, we see children infested with bed bug markings from poor quality but expensive B & B temporary accommodation.

People will be placed for months, often years, on that Band C waiting to be housed. This involves paying rent for that room at 4 - 5 times as much as the average rent for a property.

The cheapest rate being £35 per night at a B&B facility works out at £1050 pcm
Local Authority allowances would pay a maximum of £350 pcm rent for this person when in premises. A huge difference of over £600 pcm being spent awaiting a tenancy.

We are asking our Prime minister and council leaders to consider this alternative option

At around £20,000 per container that comfortably sleeps 10, this will not only provide temporary shelter while the country plays catch up on previous failures of keeping up with housing needs for a growing and ageing population.

These will allow people facing homelessness to be able to register themselves with doctors, be able to set up and access a bank account, and claim the benefits they need to get them on their feet in many cases.

These have already proven a huge success in Brighton. It will keep people rough sleeping facing enforcement notices for rough sleeping on council. It will improve the health, prospects and chances of people facing rough sleeping and give voluntary organisations like the one I volunteer with, a better chance of more effectively working with clients to support them in successful tenancies in the future. It will also save a great deal of public money as will be spent more effectively.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-sussex-28035388

How it will be delivered

To central government with cross party support

United Kingdom

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Links

Updates

2016-10-02 13:13:16 +0100

1,000 signatures reached

2016-10-01 18:35:09 +0100

- Families - #HouseOurHomeless
Record numbers of families are becoming homeless after being evicted by private landlords and finding themselves unable to afford a suitable alternative place to live, government figures show.
The end of an assured shorthold tenancy (AST) was cited by nearly a third of the 15,170 households in England who were classed as homeless in the three months to June – a number that was up 10% on the same period last year.

Although councils are required to ensure families do not stay in B&B accommodation for longer than 42 days, 1,140 households found themselves in this position in the three months to June, up 29% on the same period in 2015 and the highest recorded number since 2003.

Local authorities have blamed use of B&Bs on chronic shortages of affordable suitable temporary housing in their areas, a shortage caused in part by government cuts to housing benefit levels.

www.facebook.com/houseourhomeless/posts/1125876667502728

2016-10-01 17:49:12 +0100

New data published by the DCLG reveal a total of 15,170 households were classed as homeless in the three months to June 2016 - a jump of 10% on the same period last year.

In a bid to tackle this growing problem, Parliament will be debating a private members bill - the Homelessness Reduction Bill - which will impose new duties on local authorities to help prevent people at risk of losing their homes from becoming homeless.

However, council chiefs are sceptical that placing more duties on local authorities would solve the problem
‘Faced with significant cuts to their budgets, falling social housing availability and welfare reforms, it is clear councils cannot tackle this challenge alone,’ Cllr Tett said.

I will be emailing all supporters details on how to email your MP to ask them to urge our prime minister and chancellor to assist our councils not put more pressures on them to assist an issue they are just simply too financially stretched to do.. We need to act quick!

2016-09-29 23:11:22 +0100

UK Parties pledge to #HouseOurHomeless

Liberal Democrat Treasury Spokesperson Baroness Susan Kramer has called for a 45 billion pound investment in house-building, enough to build and additional 150,000 homes a year for five years.
This would form part of a wider fund to deliver on the infrastructure the country desperately needs - on roads, rail, broadband, schools and hospitals.
Speaking to Liberal Democrat conference in Brighton, Baroness Susan Kramer said:

"Putting a roof over everyone’s head is not just a moral imperative, but an economic one."

"We cannot go on building only half of the 150,000 homes we need each year."

"The Government must prioritise infrastructure spending- ensuring that future generations have the tools they need to compete."

"We should start by putting up to an extra £45 billion directly into house building over the next 5 years and give everyone the stability and homes they need."

2016-09-29 17:34:59 +0100

"Well done Kerry you are doing an amazing job!!! You have our full support!!! I Wonder how many of these containers we could have purchased with 14.2 Million the previous administration has left us in debt with, it has left us with no money to fund worthwhile causes such as this. Cllr Lin Fairbrass is currently working hard on this.., she just gets on and does it."

~ Cllr Suzanne Brimm - UKIP Councillor and cabinet member of Thanet District Council

2016-09-23 19:39:54 +0100

"What a good idea pity and shame on the council's for not doing this , there should be something like these sleeping quarters in every town across the country"
~ Jess Kelly

2016-09-13 06:27:08 +0100

Across England 2,744 people are homeless on any given night., a 55% increase from 2010

Homelessness doesn’t just affect the individual person. It affects whole communities. The cost of homelessness is significant and implementing measures to prevent people becoming homeless can reduce this cost dramatically. Homelessness costs UK taxpayers £1 billion each year. But there is something we can do about this. Investing money into addressing the causes of homelessness can reduce the amount it costs in the long term.

The biggest cause for youth homelessness in the UK is the breakdown of good relationships with family and friends.
Many local authorities are focussing their resources on temporary solutions such as costly Bed and Breakfast using all the resources they can after on average 60% cuts to council budgets after David Cameron and George Osborne's last budget.

www.facebook.com/thanetfamilies.inneed.3/photos/p.1063302640452534/1063302640452534/?type=3&theater

2016-09-09 10:46:50 +0100

Check out this 3D draft of the type of container homes we are asking to be considered

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IzTU3m7qZaQ

2016-02-20 03:07:58 +0000

Aims
Homeless people are given their own room in a warm, safe environment and a support worker is assigned to help them develop a more independent lifestyle during their stay.

Many people living in hostels have drug and alcohol dependencies, behavioural problems or poor mental or physical health, and some have been living a street lifestyle for a long time.

Thanet's Families in Need Community Support Service recognises that hostel residents need much more than a bed for the night.
Staff will be needed to help people to develop life skills, build self-confidence, re-engage with mainstream society and work towards leading a more settled life.
Services
Drug and alcohol services
Mental health services
Physical health treatment
Education, training, and employment support

2016-02-19 13:43:34 +0000

500 signatures reached

2015-12-16 23:19:50 +0000

We are now seeing a serious problem with our youth under threa

What I am seeing is where Thanet has had one of the largest amounts of children in care with many looked after children that have been past to Thanet from many a council and now in the or just come out of the leaving care system where they are being left high and dry in terms of housing. All after a turbulent upbringing through no fault of their own.

They may well end up with private accommodation but the problem tends to be the well over priced rent with nowhere near enough housing benefit allowance by the local authorities.

This then leads to a build up in arrears with tops up tenants cannot afford and eventually eviction with more and more young now rough sleeping.

Please, please sign and keep sharing as we prepare letters to our MP's

2015-12-07 12:20:34 +0000

The Isle of Thanet Gazette this week has reported 60 homeless are sleeping rough on the Isle.

http://www.thanetgazette.co.uk/Number-people-sleeping-rough-Thanet-doubles/story-28291847-detail/story.html

Thanet is a prosperous area among the deep deprivation with an ever growing gap between the rich and the poor.

So many houses remain empty, buildings derelict that could house our homeless.

Keep this petition going far and wide,

We need action, we need our homeless prioritised and the banding system readjusted again.

Thank you everyone who has helped so far, but we have a long way to go to raise heads.

We need to reach 10,000 signatures so please keep this going.

2015-11-26 18:39:42 +0000

Well done, well over 100 signatures already today but we are far far away from being taken seriously.

We deal with those that are homeless and those facing homelessness day in day out with more rough sleepers than ever in our towns, cities and sea side areas.

We see young and old, able and disabled from many backgrounds or situations.

We see families torn apart, we see children invested with bed bug markings from all too common poorly kept, extremely over highly paid (Tax Payer Money) 'bed and breakfast' temporary accommodation.
People will be placed for months often years on that Band C awaiting to be housed paying rent for that room at 4 - 5 times as much as the average rent for a property

2015-11-26 18:29:58 +0000

HOMELESSNESS AND OUR YOUTH

PRINCE William warned last week that Britain faces a crisis of youth homelessness with thousands facing life on the street.
The second in line to the throne, who has followed in his mother Princess Diana’s footsteps by working as patron of the charity Centrepoint, cited research that showed only 12 per cent of the 136,000 young people seeking support for homelessness are being housed amid Government funding cuts.
Centrepoint expects that 15,000 young will be without a home over Christmas, often having to sleep rough.

William, who in December 2009 slept out on the streets of London in temperatures as low as minus 4C to gain a better understanding of the plight of young homeless people, highlighted the long-term effects of lacking a safe place to sleep.

“The impact of homelessness is not temporary. All too often, a person’s long-term mental and physical health, education and sense of self-worth can also be at risk,” he said.

2015-11-26 13:21:32 +0000

100 signatures reached