UK Government must take ‘immediate action’ on homelessness, says Somerville

Somerville, Scotland's minister for local government, housing, and planning, called on the UK Government to take "immediate action" on homelessness. She urged the scrapping of the freeze on Local Housing Allowance, which has hindered progress in addressing homelessness. Additionally, she requested an extension of the move-on period for newly recognized refugees from 28 days to a longer timeframe so they can secure permanent accommodation without being forced to present as homeless to local authorities. Somerville also asked for funding support for local authorities dealing with these newly recognized refugees, similar to what is provided to other refugee groups. She highlighted that persistent UK policies and the mismanagement of the asylum process are holding back efforts in Scotland. Despite actions taken by Scottish officials to mitigate the impact of the UK Government’s Local Housing Allowance freeze and benefit cap, Somerville emphasized the necessity for appropriate national-level policies to effectively address homelessness.