[Skip to Content]
Call for Relief on National Insurance Contributions

Call for Relief on National Insurance Contributions

Call for Relief on National Insurance Contributions

Friday, November 8, 2024

We sent a letter to Rachel Reeves, Chancellor of the Exchequer, in collaboration with other charities across the homelessness sector, to highlight our concerns about the impact of the changes to National Insurance will have on the homelessness sector.

The letter highlighted that the NI changes could take between £50 and £60m out of the homelessness sector and away from the delivery of frontline services.

The letter asked the Government to provide a rebate or relief to the homelessness sector – who provide vital services for the public sector - and require the Ministry of Housing, Community and Local Government and local authorities to cover the increased costs by increasing the value of grants and contracts for 2025-26 onwards.

Homelessness across the UK is at an all-time high. Official statistics released in August 2024 show that 86,520 households in England qualified for homelessness support from their councils between January and March. In Autumn 2023, 3,898 people were estimated to be sleeping rough.

Our Annual Survey of Frontline Workers also highlighted that Support services in general are harder for people to access – because of digital exclusion (including services only available by phone as well as online). Other barriers are reduced opening hours; tighter eligibility criteria; waiting lists; short-term funding meaning services that existed a few months ago have gone

A Frontline Worker from South East England stated:          

“In the majority of circumstances, it is difficult to find and access support - Every organisation is overworked and underfunded. It usually takes a minimum of several months to access support by which time circumstances have often changed/worsened.” 

Mental health support, (including for those with co-occurring substance use), primary healthcare and dentistry are particularly hard to access.

“Services for mental health and addiction is extremely difficult to access.  Due to lack of services when people are being housed, they do not have the wrap around service they need to support them to sustain their tenancies and

in many cases due to the lack of support they cause issues which leads to eviction and then they end up back in the system going around and around in circles.”

Frontline Worker, Northern Ireland

News and Views

collapse/expand
  • Brain Injury Guidance

    Brain Injury Guidance

    Leigh Andrews of Change Communication offered specialist advice on brain injuries and homelessness through a digital...
  • End Furniture Poverty Survey

    End Furniture Poverty Survey

    End Furniture Poverty have recently spoken with the Frontline Network to discuss their important ongoing survey, seek...
  • Cover the Cost Campaign

    Cover the Cost Campaign

    Jasmine Basran, Senior Policy Officer at Crisis, talks to us about the Cover the Cost Campaign, asking the Government...
  • VRF Impact Report 2018/19

    VRF Impact Report 2018/19

    Over the past year we have given out 3827 grants totaling £1,156,805 through the VRF. Read the latest Impact Report t...
  • Influence from the Frontline

    Influence from the Frontline

    Frontline workers are crucial at giving insight into the viewpoints of the people they work with as well as the chall...
  • The Vagrancy Act

    The Vagrancy Act

    Crisis, along with others including Homeless Link, Cymorth Cymru, Centrepoint, St Mungo’s, Shelter Cymru and the Wall...
  • Influencing local decisions

    Influencing local decisions

    Zoe, Frontline Network Coordinator at Coventry Citizens Advice, talks to us about the Coventry Frontline Network and...
  • The Litigant in Person Network

    The Litigant in Person Network

    Martha de la Roche, Network Development Manager at Litigant in Person Network (LiP Network), tells us about The LiP N...
  • VRF Impact Report

    VRF Impact Report

    Find out what impact VRF had last year and how to get involved in shaping its direction in the coming year.
  • Housing First Scotland

    Housing First Scotland

    Please see here for the first issue of Housing First Connect - a twice-yearly newsletter for Scotland’s new Housing F...
  • Slaying the Dragon

    Slaying the Dragon

    Will Golding, Edinburgh Tutor at Crisis, talks to us about 'Slaying the Dragon'.
  • CPAG - Early Warning System

    CPAG - Early Warning System

    Dan Norris, from CPAG, talks to us about a new Early Warning System to record the impact of benefit changes implement...
  • The Hostile Environment

    The Hostile Environment

    Bethan Lant, a Project lead from Praxis, writes about the creation of a hostile environment for migrants and refugees.
  • Wrexham’s Crisis Cafe

    Wrexham’s Crisis Cafe

    Sinead Kelleher writes about Wrexham's Crisis Cafe, a multi-agency response to Universal Credit.
  • Frontline Worker Survey

    Frontline Worker Survey

    We are asking frontline workers to participate in a survey, aimed at those working with clients who are experiencing...
  • A map through conflict

    A map through conflict

    A Cyrenians Mediator writes about their innovative Amber Mediation and Support Project, a model of mediation and supp...
  • “A place to call home"

    “A place to call home"

    Hannah Gousy was seconded from Crisis to the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) to help design policy recommendations to...
  • A London Nightshelter

    A London Nightshelter

    On 7 November we opened our church-based shelters for the winter with more churches signed on then ever before. Glass...
  • 'Step Up' at The Connection

    'Step Up' at The Connection

    Wyn Newman introduces the volunteer programme 'Step Up' that has been developed at The Connection for service users.