Homeless Oxfordshire welcomes the Secretary of State for Housing’s announcement and the clarity this brings after a long period of uncertainty.
We now look to work constructively with the new unitary authorities, the NHS, and partners across the voluntary sector to ensure that people experiencing homelessness are not disadvantaged during the transition, and that the county’s collective progress on prevention and rough sleeping is protected and built upon.
The change will bring many opportunities, such as simplifying the commissioning and delivery of homelessness services, joined-up decision-making, and avoiding differing approaches to embedding strategy across multiple district councils.
However, reorganisation on this scale also carries real risks for people experiencing homelessness, who are among the least able to absorb disruption in the systems that are supposed to support them.
We will be looking for: clear transition planning; a single, county-wide strategic approach to homelessness that involves people with lived experience and frontline providers; continuity of funding commitments; and firm guarantees that statutory homelessness duties and rough sleeping outreach are protected throughout the changeover period.
We now call on the Secretary of State, the incoming unitary authorities and local partners to prioritise these concerns and to commit to a clear timetable so that residents and staff are not left in prolonged uncertainty.
Homeless Oxfordshire’s CEO, Simon Hewett-Avison said:
“A simpler local government structure genuinely could help us join up housing, health, social care and support around the people who need it most. But reorganisation of this scale is not without risk, particularly for people whose lives are already shaped by instability.
Our message to the new authorities is simple: keep the county’s homelessness strategy whole, protect the funding that is already saving lives, and bring people with lived experience into the room as the detail is worked out.
We are ready to work with whoever leads on this to make sure the opportunities are realised and the risks are managed.”
