Fri, 21 Nov 2025

Fri, 21 Nov 2025 Budget must focus on housing, says shelter resident

Two men who have experienced homelessness give their views ahead of the chancellor's budget.

* Josh, a 26-year-old man experiencing homelessness in Cambridge, hopes the government will prioritize increasing accessibility to housing in its upcoming Budget.
* He suggests that more council and "move-on" housing, which offers shared accommodation with support, is needed to address homelessness.
* Josh wants to see apprenticeship opportunities and financial assistance for necessities like course materials included in the Budget.
* He recently received a government grant for job hunting equipment and supports tax rises if they fund public services, including transport infrastructure.
* Andrew, who lives in a charity-owned home after experiencing homelessness, believes people need to budget carefully when renting private sector properties.
* Applications for housing in Cambridge and Peterborough are rising, with 1,139 applications received by Cambridge City Council between April 2024 and March 2025, a 13% increase from the previous year.
* Andrew's charity, Hope Into Action, owns 130 houses across the UK and helped him after he experienced homelessness for about three months.
* Peterborough City Council has seen an 11% rise in applications for housing, with 3,654 households contacting them in 2024.
* The authority received nearly £1m last month to help tackle rough sleeping.
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