Helping homeless

THIS month I will be supporting the Homelessness Reduction Bill which will come before the House of Commons. The Bill has been thoroughly scrutinised and is close to becoming law.

I spoke in support of the Bill last year because I believe the measures it seeks to implement will stop vulnerable people slipping through the safety net and on to our streets. At the heart of the Bill is prevention.

I know that Rochdale council already do a great job tackling homelessness, but sadly less conscientious councils aren’t stepping up to the mark. The requirements for local authorities introduced by this Bill will ensure standards are increased across the board and that inconsistencies in services are reduced.

Before entering Parliament I spent a lot of time focusing on homelessness as a social researcher and working at The Big Issue in the North. I saw individuals, charities and local authorities go the extra mile to support homeless people.

This is an issue close to my heart and since speaking in support of the Bill in October I have met with Crisis, the national homeless charity to devise further solutions to these problems. I am keen to continue this work to ensure that this national scandal is dealt with.

In Rochdale, I will continue to support the great work done by groups like Petrus, Rochdale Connections Trust and Sanctuary Trust who provide services to help vulnerable people.

But vital local services like this can’t go it alone. They also need government and politicians to act.

That’s why I’ll be supporting this Homelessness Reduction Bill.