Will Forster to Government: “go further and end homelessness for good”

Following the Government’s £9.6 million announcement for winter homelessness support in the South East, Liberal Democrat MP Will Forster has called on ministers to do much more to deliver real, long-term solutions to end homelessness — not just short-term fixes. 

With record numbers of households now living in temporary accommodation across England, including nearly 170,000 children, this latest Government announcement falls far short of addressing the scale of the housing crisis which many councils are struggling to manage against a backdrop of budget cuts and spiralling costs of supporting families in need of temporary accommodation. Official figures show that local authorities now face a £2.8 billion bill for temporary accommodation in 2024–25, up from £2.3 billion last year — a cost many fear is unsustainable. Meanwhile, over 1.3 million households are on social housing waiting lists. 

In Woking, the Borough Council has seen growing pressure on its housing services as more families find themselves priced out of the private rental market and waiting for permanent accommodation. The council has reported a rise in homelessness applications and demand for temporary accommodation — stretching already limited resources at a time when council finances are under severe strain. 

Will Forster, Liberal Democrat MP for Woking, said: 

“It’s heartbreaking that so many families and children in Woking and across the South East will face this winter without a safe, warm place to call home. The Government must step up to end homelessness once and for all. 

“Woking Borough Council is doing everything it can to support people in desperate need, but it simply cannot meet this challenge without proper help from central government. We need a long-term homelessness strategy that gives councils the resources and powers they need to prevent people from losing their homes in the first place. 

“The Government must also set a statutory target for building social homes to tackle the 1.3 million households on waiting lists. 

“Liberal Democrats will continue to urge the Government to be ambitious — that means building 150,000 social homes every year, abolishing Section 21 no-fault evictions, and setting out a proper strategy to end all forms of homelessness. No one should be without a home in 2025.”