Today, King Charles delivered his first King’s Speech under the Labour government.

The speech promised growth for the UK economy and improved living standards for the British public.

But what do these policies mean for us? Here are key takeaways from The King’s Speech for housing and homelessness:

Housing

During the Election, Labour’s manifesto promised to change the national planning policy framework to overcome the UK’s housing crisis.

This included bringing back mandatory housing targets and the promise of 1.5 million more homes, including ‘affordable housing’.

According to the speech, this will be achieved through a streamlined planning process and devolving power to local authorities.

As a Westminster-based charity, we are keen to hear how this can work in our borough. We have the the highest homelessness rates of any UK borough whilst land and housing are extremely expensive. Allowing local authorities to focus on the housing issues that affect them most could be a game changer. However, for Westminster Council, they will need to be able to access housing options in other parts of London.

While there is a lot to celebrate here the promise of affordable housing could be perceived as vague.

Social housing was not specifically mentioned despite the sector’s call for more social homes as a key factor in resolving the housing crisis and homelessness.

We hope the housing promised in today’s King’s Speech will benefit all members of the public, including those currently sleeping rough.

The Renter’s Reform Bill

Despite campaigning in the homeless sector, the previous government failed to pass the Renter’s Reform Bill before the election earlier this month.

Now, Labour have introduced a stronger version of the Bill including the long-awaited promise of a ban on section 21 evictions, also known as ’no-fault evictions’.

We’re seen many renters who have become homeless as a result of ‘no-fault evictions’, just like our client Michael.

This change has been championed for a long time by many homelessness charities. We hope to see it introduced soon to make renting fairer and reduce the number of people becoming homeless. End of tenancy is the biggest cause of homelessness. Strengthening renters rights alongside putting resources into the Homelessness Prevention Act would turn off the tap of ever increasing homelessness.

We’re also excited to see other protections for renters that make sure everyone can have a safe and suitable home.

Mental health

Around 50% of people sleeping rough have a diagnosed mental health condition.

However, the true number is likely higher when considering those who have not been diagnosed.

Because of this, we’re happy to see Labour promise a reformed Mental Health Act in the King’s Speech. This could lead to earlier intervention in mental health crises which could prevent some people becoming homeless if suitable support is provided.

Going forward, we hope to see more specific mental health support being offered to those sleeping rough and a more joined-up approach across support services to prevent and end a person’s homelessness for the long-term.

The King’s Speech: our conclusions

In summary, King Charles’ first speech under the Labour government has set out some promising plans to tackle key issues like housing, renters’ rights, and mental health support.

While there’s plenty to be hopeful about, we’ll be keeping an eye on how these promises are put into action, making sure they truly benefit those who need it most. There’s a lot of potential for positive change, and we’re eager to see these policies make a real difference in our community.

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