Residents are being invited to help shape a new 5-year plan to prevent homelessness and reduce rough sleeping in the borough.
Ealing Council has drafted a new strategy for tackling these issues. And, as part of a public consultation on the ideas in the strategy, it wants to hear from anyone who lives, works, studies, or spends time in the borough. The consultation will run for 6 weeks.
Homelessness is a big challenge locally. During 2024/25, the council carried out more than 3,000 homelessness assessments, and 642 people were recorded as sleeping rough in the borough during the following year. More than 2,500 households are currently living in temporary accommodation.
‘Take part and help shape final plan’
Councillor Louise Brett, the council’s deputy leader and cabinet member for safe and genuinely affordable homes, said: “A safe and secure home is the foundation for a healthy and fulfilling life. But we know that too many residents face uncertainty because of rising housing costs, a shortage of affordable homes, and other pressures.
“This new strategy sets out how the council plans to prevent homelessness, support people sleeping rough, improve temporary accommodation, and help more residents find long-term housing stability.
“Residents’ experiences and ideas are vital to this work, so I would encourage everyone to take part in the consultation and help shape the final plan.”
Have your say by completing the consultation survey before it closes on 18 December.
Feedback from the consultation will be used to help shape the final strategy before it is considered for approval next year.
What the strategy aims to do
The draft strategy has been developed following a review of homelessness in the borough, analysis of local needs, and discussions with residents, people who have experienced homelessness, and partner organisations.
It focuses on 4 key areas:
- preventing homelessness before it happens
- helping people find settled homes more quickly
- improving experiences for households living in temporary accommodation
- helping people rebuild their lives after homelessness
It is built around 6 priorities:
- making homelessness prevention a shared responsibility across services and organisations
- helping people overcome the problems that can lead to homelessness
- giving more support to people at greater risk of losing their home
- helping people stay in or find a home during a crisis
- improving support for households in temporary accommodation
- helping people recover from homelessness and avoid becoming homeless again
The strategy also includes plans to improve access to housing advice, increase the supply of temporary accommodation, reduce rough sleeping through earlier support, and work more closely with partners to address the causes of homelessness.
How to get involved
As well as the online survey you can fill in, there will be other ways to share your views. The consultation will gather views directly from residents, community groups, housing providers, charities, faith groups, and other organisations.
Conversations will also be held with groups that are often less likely to take part in council consultations. This includes young people, care leavers, people sleeping rough or at risk of sleeping rough, families living in temporary accommodation, domestic abuse survivors, refugees, disabled residents, and others at greater risk of homelessness.
