ICESCR concluding observations 2016, paragraph 52
Plain English recommendation
Government should:
Provide local authorities with sufficient funds to reduce homelessness, particularly in England and Northern Ireland.
Ensure there are enough emergency shelters, hostels and rehabilitation centres.
Avoid criminalising rough sleepers. Develop programmes to help them integrate back into the community.
Original UN recommendation
The Committee urges the State party to take immediate measures, including by allocating appropriate funds to local authorities, to reduce the exceptionally high levels of homelessness, particularly in England and Northern Ireland, and to ensure adequate provision of reception facilities, including emergency shelters and hostels, as well as social rehabilitation centres. The Committee urges the State party to adopt all necessary measures to avoid the criminalization of rough sleeping in the State party and to develop appropriate policies and programmes to facilitate the social reintegration of homeless persons. In this respect, the Committee draws the attention of the State party to its general comment No. 4 (1991) on the right to adequate housing.
Date of UN examination
16/06/2016
UN article number
11 (adequate standard of living)
Original UN document
Download the ICESCR concluding observations 2016 on the UN website