Tenants may not be able to buy new council homes - Rayner

Angela Rayner said England was facing a “catastrophic emergency situation” in relation to homelessness.

Visiting a hostel for rough sleepers in south London, she met some of those who have recently been helped off the streets. The latest data shows that 4,780 people were seen sleeping outside in the city in the three months between June and September of this year, a record high.

Stephen Richards, 58, spent several weeks sleeping in gardens and woods before recently coming to the centre. An experienced chef, he said a breakdown in family relations had cost him his home, and the cost of renting had prevented him from securing another property.

“Years ago, a room in somebody's house was called a lodger,” he said.

“Now they're calling them en-suite [rooms]. They're charging £1,200 for a bedroom a month. Things are too expensive.”

The deputy PM highlighted the £233m committed in the Budget to tackle all forms of homelessness, bringing the total to almost £1bn in 2025-26.

The government has now also pledged £10m to tackle rough sleeping, which it says will go directly to councils in the highest need.

The number of households living in temporary accommodation is at record levels, including more than 150,000 children. Acknowledging the problem “won’t be fixed overnight”, Ms Rayner said tackling homelessness would need different government departments to work together.

A crucial step is to reduce the number of people who are becoming homeless in the first place.

Emma Haddad, chief executive of homeless charity St Mungo’s, said she was encouraged by the government’s determination to push through the Renters' Rights Bill.

The bill will end Section 21 evictions in England, where landlords can ask tenants to leave without having to give a reason.

“We know that most people becoming homeless are coming out the private-related sector, and Section 21 evictions is a large driver [of that]. It’s going to help dramatically,” said Ms Haddad.