Housing Justice welcomes fall in homelessness

Housing Justice yesterday welcomed the reduction in homelessness shown by the latest government Statutory Homelessness figures and the commitment given by Housing Minister Yvette Cooper to continue to reduce the numbers of families in temporary accommodation. The latest government figures, released on Monday, show a 27% fall in the number of homeless families accepted for re-housing under the terms of the Homelessness legislation and a 2% fall in the number of families in temporary accommodation. Housing Justice Chief Executive Robina Rafferty said: "We welcome the fall in the number of families living in temporary accommodation and Yvette Cooper's continued emphasis on the government's commitment to halve the numbers in temporary accommodation by 2010." "But we fear that the government will struggle to meet this commitment as it is putting off the construction of badly needed new social housing until the 2007 Government Spending Round. The homeless families seen by the network of Housing Justice housing advice centres need new housing now - not in 2007."