Recent statistics in Salford have highlighted a severe lack of government resources to tackle homelessness.
Data published by homeless charity, Shelter, showed that there were 22 deaths of homeless people between 2013 and 2021.
In 2021, it was estimated that 647 people were qualified as homeless in Salford, which adds up to approximately 1 in every 406. Greater Manchester as a whole has a total of 6,848 homeless people, with one in every 81 sleeping rough.
The Greater Manchester Homeless Action Network (GMHAN) has been developing strategies with local councils over the past 5 years to help eradicate homelessness in Greater Manchester including Salford.
Robbie Cowbury, the engagement & System Change Manager for GMHAN said: ‘’There is already insufficient resources to do things that we want to do, and there was already a crisis in homelessness.
“There’s not enough housing, there’s not enough support available for people. You die when you’re rough sleeping, when you’re homeless, because the support has failed.’’
GMHAN said that it’s not just about technical solutions to homelessness but a need for compassion: “Preventing the deaths of homeless people and homelessness is not just a technical solution, it’s about the right values and the right concern and the right consideration for peoples wishes and experiences.”
“When people are seen as the complex individuals that they are, who face multiple disadvantages and many different experiences, then the response can work, and people die because that hasn’t happened.’’ continued Mr Cowbury.
GMHAN is very concerned around the role poverty plays in homelessness in Salford. The city is the 18th most deprived local authority area in England, with child poverty up to around 22 percent, which means they are also at risk of becoming homeless.
“We talked about it not from the point of view of homelessness, we talked about it from the point of view of poverty because poverty causes homelessness and the rise of the cost-of-living causes poverty.’’
Other issues have been discussed in order to tackle the root causes of homelessness across Salford and Greater Manchester.
“It’s housing. It’s really, really definitely about housing.” added Mr Cowbury. “But it’s also about mental health. It’s about substance misuse, it’s about childhood experiences. It’s about, offending behaviour and rehabilitation.’’
However, the current cost of living crisis could motivate productivity and instigate more change due to the pressures people are currently facing.
“But actually, if this crisis that’s here now that we’re really recognising, can be used to change some of the ways we approach stuff, then potentially it’s crisis that can be productive.’’
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