Homelessness could be eradicated if the government builds 100,500 social homes a year

Homelessness could be eradicated within 10 years if the government builds 100,500 social homes each year for the next 15 years, homeless charity Crisis hasrecommended.

Homelessness could be eradicated if the government builds 100,500 social homes a year

Homelessness could be eradicated within 10 years if the government builds 100,500 social homes each year for the next 15 years, homeless charity Crisis hasrecommended.

Crisis estimatedthatacross England, Wales and Scotland, there are currently 236,000 homeless people, including those living in unsuitable temporary accommodation.

The report, Everybody In: How To End Homelessness In Great Britain, also recommended a reform to housing benefit and better rights for private renters.

Jon Sparkes, chief executive of Crisis, said: "We must not become a society that simply accepts homelessness as 'a sad fact of life'... it doesn't have to be this way.

"For the first time ever, we have a comprehensive plan that shows exactly how we can address the root causes of homelessness and make it a thing of the past. Other parts of the world are taking huge strides towards ending it, and Britain can too."

Other recommendationswere hospitals, prisons and the care system being legally required to help find homes for those leaving their care and job centres to have homelessness specialists.

It alsocalled for anational roll-out of Housing First, providing more than 18,000 homeless people with homes.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government responded to the report, saying it’s committed to tackling homelessness, citing last week’s announcement of £30m for councils boost the support aviable to people living on the streets.

A spokesperson said: "We are investing more than £1.2bn to tackle all forms of homelessness

"We are also investing £9bn to build more affordable homes and are piloting the Housing First approach in three major regions to get people off the streets and into stable accommodation."