Enfield Council has welcomed news that Government funding to tackle homelessness in the borough will increase by over £4m, as the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government confirmed Enfield’s homelessness prevention grant for 2025/2026.
Enfield has been at the epicentre of a London-wide and national homelessness crisis over the last few years as a result of rocketing demand for emergency housing caused by the cost-of-living crisis at a time when housing availability has dropped to an all-time-low.
This has meant that the Enfield Council has had to use at least £30 million of reserves over the last three years largely to meet the additional costs of homelessness.
The Leader of Enfield Council, Cllr Ergin Erbil, said: “Homelessness has a truly devastating impact on every aspect of people’s lives which is why it’s an absolute priority for this Council to try and protect local people affected by the national homelessness emergency.
“I welcome this desperately needed additional funding to help support the needs of homeless families in our borough and I look forward to continuing to work with the new Government to help deliver long term solutions to the housing crisis.
“This includes the delivery of our ambitious local housing schemes such as our 3,500 Council House building programme as well as our Meridian Water development and the regeneration of the Joyce and Snell’s estate.”
As well as securing additional homelessness prevention funding, Enfield Council continues to talk to the new Government about other policy changes which would help make tackling the national homelessness emergency and support financial sustainability for the Council.
These include making the increase in Local Housing Allowance rates a permanent measure and removing the January 2011 cap on Local Housing Allowance payable for temporary accommodation in Housing Benefit subsidy.
Cabinet Member for Housing at Enfield Council, Cllr Ayten Guzel, said: “Enfield Council is determined to work with the Government to take the action needed to tackle the impact of the homelessness crisis in our borough and build the affordable homes needed by local people.
"Today’s announcement will help with some of the immediate financial pressures we face in supporting families in temporary accommodation. We will continue to lobby for the additional funding needed to support local people during this crisis and deliver our long-term plans for good quality affordable housing in Enfield.”
Revenue Funding – breakdown of allocations across programmes 2025/2026 versus 2024/2025
Programme | 2025/2026 | 2024/2025 |
Homelessness Prevention Grant | £15,485,948.00 | £11,308,241 |
Rough Sleeping Prevention & Recovery | £1,086,516.00 | £923,532 |
Rough Sleeping Accommodation Programme | £0 | £710,000 |
Rough Sleeping Drug & Alcohol Treatment | £498,998.00 | - |
Emergency Accommodation Reduction Pilots | £210,000.00 | - |
TOTAL | £17,281,462.00 | £12,941,773 |