The problems involved are complex, ranging from rough sleeping to the struggles of life on the murky fringes of the private sector
That the Prince of Wales wants to “end” homelessness cannot be a bad thing. Yes, it may have policy implications, but so does any act of charity. Yes, it risks mention of his own family’s gross over-supply of sleeping accommodation, but that is hardly the point. And yes, it may mean no more than his father’s practice of “bringing people round the table”. There is no harm even in that.
More useful is if it focuses attention on the issue itself. The good news is that the blitz on rough sleeping during lockdown showed action can work. Surveys showed the number of people rough sleeping in England peaked at 4,751 in 2017 and fell to 3,069 last year, though that is higher than in 2021. The chief reason was that a real effort was made to find hostels and rally volunteers.
Simon Jenkins is a Guardian columnist
