Thangam Debbonaire – 2020 Comments on Homeless Deaths

Below is the text of the comments made by Thangam Debbonaire, the Shadow Housing Secretary, on 10 July 2020.

These tragic deaths demonstrate the need to help homeless people off the streets during the pandemic.

Local councils worked hard to give people emergency accommodation as part of the government’s Everybody In policy. This was a good start, but the government has left out people who have found themselves on the streets since the start of lockdown.

The emergency measures of the last few months demonstrate we can end rough sleeping. We should grab this opportunity now – nobody should live, or die, on the streets.