Briefing: Frozen Out of A Home

A briefing on why the government must unfreeze local housing allowance, to help a record number of families out of homelessness in damaging temporary accommodation.

The government has promised to break down the barriers to opportunity via a cross-government strategy to end homelessness and an ambitious strategy to reduce child poverty.

It’s now urgent the record number of over 169,000 children are helped out of damaging temporary accommodation as quickly as possible. Every month takes more of a toll.

Local housing allowance (LHA) rates sets the amount of housing benefit that people can claim to afford a private rented home. So, rates have a direct impact on whether families stuck homeless in damaging temporary accommodation can access a private tenancy.

It’s vital in the Autumn Budget on 26 November, the government listens to families experiencing homelessness and with children living in poverty.

It must unfreeze Local Housing Allowance and restore it to cover at least the cheapest 30% (‘30th percentile’) of private rents.