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News in Brief 154: February – March 2025

February 01 2025

News in Brief by the Pavement team

Council failure

Brentwood Borough Council in Essex has gatekept homelessness services
from people requiring them, according to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman. The council closed 216 cases over a six-month period, despite the applications all qualifying for inquiries into whether to supply interim accommodation. Furthermore, the ombudsman determined that council staff had set arbitrary time limits to people’s applications for homeless support, demanding far more information than was necessary from applicants. Ombudsman Amerdeep Somal told BBC News the findings suggested the council "has been artificially restricting numbers by putting unnecessary barriers in the way".


Funding boost

The government has tripled emergency funding for people sleeping rough in freezing temperatures in England. Labour had pledged £10m towards the rough sleeping winter pressures funding scheme late last year, but following an ice-cold January, has increased the funding to £30m. Homelessness minister Rushanara Ali told the Big Issue the additional funding for councils will “help the most vulnerable into safe and secure housing with warm beds, hot meals and specialist care. This cash will go even further to support frontline workers who provide life-changing services on the ground.” The Labour government has also set up an inter-ministerial group focusing on tackling homelessness and rough sleeping.



A closed down pub in north London. © the Pavement
A storm is brewing: Early in January an open letter was signed by a number of organisations and charities connected to the homeless community, calling for answers and change to a controversial Camden Town Brewery policy. The brewery had cancelled an event featuring the Hampstead Chamber Choir raising money for Street Storage held at Camden Beer Hall in December 2024. Its reason for calling the gig off was that it is “not able to work with charities that may be linked to alcohol abuse, which, sadly, homelessness, in some respects, could be.” Street Storage says dialogue has been absent, leading to the open letter being written. The letter states Camden Town Brewery’s reason for cancelling the event, “reflects a serious misunderstanding of homelessness and perpetuates harmful stereotypes”.


Looks like a duck

People will show you who they are. Donald Trump is president of the United States once again and has homeless people in his sights. For years now Trump has promised the demolition of so-called ‘tent cities’: large numbers of tents sheltering rough sleepers. Trump has previously suggested he would like to put the people staying in these tents in encampments. According to NPR, influential people in team Trump want to scrap all housing first initiatives and funnel funding towards drug addiction programmes.


Displaced

Analysis by the Guardian has revealed English councils are paying millions to move homeless families out of big cities, often into already deprived communities with no extra support. More than a dozen councils are paying firms that facilitate moves to cheaper parts of the country. These firms consider the people they move permanently rehoused, meaning the council washes its hands of them and making it very difficult to return to the location they called home and were moved from.



A picture from the 2024 Koestler Awards show. © the Pavement
Deadline: The 2025 Koestler Awards are open for submission now. The deadline for entries is 11 April 2025 and this year’s theme is ‘Wings’. Anyone in a criminal justice setting can submit work to be featured in the awards show, which is held in London every year, usually at Royal Festival Hall on the Southbank. Specifically, anyone in custody in a UK prison, young offender institution, secure training centre, secure children’s home, immigration removal centre, high or medium security psychiatric hospital or unit, any current client of the National Probation Service, a Youth Justice Service, the Scottish Criminal Justice Social Work Service or their equivalents elsewhere in the UK can enter the Koestler Awards show. It is a multi-artform show, meaning you can submit works in a range of different forms and mediums, such as painting, writing, animation and craft and design. Learn more: koestlerarts.org.uk/get-involved/koestler-awards/enter-the-koestler-awards


Grab your coat

Glasgow-based Finnieston Clothing is running a ‘jacket for jacket’ campaign for the colder months, encouraging customers to bring in their old jackets when purchasing a new one, and in return their old jacket will be donated to Homeless Project Scotland. During January, customers taking part in the scheme would receive 20% off their new jacket. Colin McInnes, CEO of Homeless Project Scotland, was quoted in Scottish Housing News lamenting the need for the scheme: “It’s extremely disheartening in this day and age that businesses are having to step in to help people who should be supported by our government at both a local and national level.”


Safe space

The UK’s first drug consumption room opened in Glasgow in January. The facility, known as The Thistle, had been due to open in October 2024, but has faced several delays. Drug consumption rooms are spaces allowing people to take illegal substances under medical supervision. They are proven to reduce the risk of overdosing, cross-contamination and drug-related deaths. The Thistle is on Hunter Street and will operate daily from 9am to 9pm, 365 days of the year. In 2023, there were 1,172 drug-related deaths in Scotland.



Picture © the Pavement
Happy to help: don't let it be said that the Pavement isn’t a valuable resource. Whether it’s finding a warm meal or sorting out a wobbly table, this magazine has you covered. The above picture was taken at a day centre in London. Send pictures to the editor of other ways the Pavement has helped you in a jam: editor@thepavement.org.uk

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