Ipswich Housing Association CEO says 'seismic action' needed to tackle homelessness in Suffolk

'Seismic action' needs to be taken to combat homelessness in Suffolk, an Ipswich charity boss has said.

Jools Ramsay, CEO of the Ipswich Housing Action Group (IHAG), has called on both the public and authorities to do their bit to tackle the crisis as the cost of living continues to rise.

She said: "Covid has really opened people's eyes to the reality of homelessness, with more people feeling the squeeze.

"We've found that regular people, regardless of circumstance - be they middle class, working class, upper class or of any race - have found themselves losing security in these times.

"As a charity this also means that getting donations is more difficult as there is huge pressure financially, even on people who may be more comfortable."

She revealed there are several things people can do to help those in need.

The simplest of these is to ensure people on the streets are given food or water which could help them in the short term, with donations to charities being a more long-term solution.

There is also a nationwide programme called Streetlink, which is a tool the public can use to ping agencies, who will go out and ensure people are given support.

IHAG is contracted to handle such requests in Ipswich, and often goes out early in the morning to take in rough sleepers.

Once IHAG picks up a homeless person, they operate a 'breakfast by invite' policy, which gives rough sleepers access to a meal, showers, hot drinks and laundry services.

For example, one day last week the team 11 people sleeping rough.

However, Miss Ramsay also said everybody's experiences of homelessness are different.

Many people think of people 'in sleeping bags on the streets' when they picture homeless people, but she revealed the issue is far more complex.

She added: "Everybody in temporary or emergency accommodation is homeless; people living in their cars are homeless; every person in a refuge is homeless, as are people who are sofa-surfing."

"We talk quite often about 'hidden homelessness' and these tend to be the people who are not readily seen."

Miss Ramsay mentioned that with many people losing their jobs, furlough schemes being ended and people being unable to work, the rising cost of living puts more people at risk.

She also referred to a 'mental health crisis' which is also taking its toll.

Every household has been affected by Covid, but many of the initiatives in place at the start are no longer available, she noted.

This includes schemes such as credit holidays, which means many people are having to pay extra costs on top of their normal rates.

The Government has pledged to slash the number of homeless people in half by 2025.

It said it would provide extra funding to local authorities to support people who are homeless or at risk of losing their homes.

It also announced the 'everybody in scheme' which would see authorities house rough sleepers, though Miss Ramsay criticised its slow implementation.

Miss Ramsay feels the 'big picture' in tackling homelessness involves them committing more resources, more money and building more houses.

She said this was a real issue in Suffolk, where houses are not being built fast enough to make up for the ones sold.

She also feels that private rent prices are getting higher, which can lead to poorer people being excluded.

Miss Ramsay added: "We're in prime territory here, being within the London commuter belt, and some towns and village are very affluent, which can lead to poverty where people don't expect it.

"Parts of Suffolk have real patches of deprivation.

"If you are on benefits or in a low-paying job because you've been homeless or had no fixed abode, how are you to be expected to hold down in excess of £600 a month in rent?"

She said: "There are little things the public can do to make someone's life easier, but for the bigger picture, there has to be seismic change."