Following a huge amount of campaigning over recent months, we are very pleased that the Government has announced an increase in local housing allowance (LHA) from April 2024 to cover the bottom 30% of local rents, as set out by the Chancellor in his Autumn Statement on Wednesday 22nd November.
St Mungo’s has consistently made the case for LHA to be increased, using evidence from the services we run. Along with colleagues across the sector in the Cover the Cost Coalition, our voices have been heard.
This change means that people in receipt of housing benefit will have access to homes that they can actually afford to rent. It will make a crucial difference to many people’s lives across the country, preventing them from falling into homelessness or helping them out of homelessness.
We also welcome the additional £120 million of funding for councils to invest in homelessness prevention, and the increase in benefits to match inflation.
While these policy changes are much-needed, we are still facing a very difficult winter with record numbers of people sleeping rough. We need support to be able to bring people into somewhere warm. Donate today to help bring people off the streets and into safety. You can make tonight someone’s last night on the streets.
