The mayor has set out plans to end homelessness in the region by following Finland’s model.
Addressing a recent conference on homelessness and housing policy in Manchester, Andy Burnham outlined how the city-region will draw from Finland’s approach, which focuses on providing homes without conditions.
Finland introduced its Housing First scheme in 2007 as a response to a severe housing crisis. The initiative prioritises giving individuals immediate access to housing, supported by personalised services, and has since reduced homelessness by 70 percent.
Speaking at the event, Jukka Siukosaari, Ambassador of Finland to the UK, emphasised the success of the scheme, saying: “Our nation has succeeded in going against the trend by actually decreasing the number of people without a place to live. This result is proof of the importance of the home as a starting point when we help people rebuild their lives.”
Since his election as mayor in 2017, Burnham has been committed to addressing rough sleeping and the broader housing crisis in Manchester. Following the success of a Housing First pilot program in Greater Manchester, which supported 430 people with complex housing needs, Burnham is seeking further government funding to expand the initiative beyond its current end date of March 2025.
In light of the second report from the Grenfell Inquiry, Burnham stressed the urgency for systemic change in the UK’s approach to housing.
“Rather than a money-making opportunity, or just a commodity to be bought and sold, we need to see housing as an essential service. Giving everyone a good, safe home would be one of the best investments the country could make, and would take pressure off other public services and public finances.”
Burnham announced plans to make Greater Manchester the first UK city-region to fully embrace a Finnish-style Housing First philosophy. He added:
“The evidence is clear that it works, and when a pilot scheme gets results it shouldn’t end there – it should become the new normal. Housing First has shown that if you give people an unconditional right to safe and secure housing, backed up with personalised support, you set them up to succeed.”
Alongside the Housing First initiative, the Greater Manchester mayor is championing new protections for renters, cracking down on unscrupulous landlords, and setting a target to build 75,000 new homes during the current parliamentary term. The newly formed Housing First Unit will drive these efforts, uniting partners across the city-region to provide a “healthy home for everyone in Greater Manchester by 2038.”
“The growing cost of not solving the housing crisis – both on our communities and on the public purse – is plain to see,” he continued.
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