Recommendation 7

Notwithstanding the evident successes of Everyone In in the first wave of the pandemic, the National Audit Office noted that the Department’s response to the resurgence of COVID-19 in autumn and winter 2020 did not appear as comprehensive as in the spring. The NAO suggested that the Department would need to keep under close review whether it was protecting vulnerable individuals as decisively as in the early stages of the pandemic.19 Emerging data from the second wave of the pandemic is concerning, with reports of a sharp rise in cases of COVID-19 among the rough sleeping population in London in December 2020 and January 2021.20 Anecdotal reports suggest a contributory factor may have been an apparent rise during the second wave in the use of—and occupancy rates within—hostels with some communal facilities.21 9 Qq 3, 16; C&AG’s Report, para 1.15. 10 D Lewer et al., ‘COVID-19 among people experiencing homelessness in England: a modelling study’, The Lancet Respiratory Medicine, vol. 8 issue 12, December 2020, pp. 1181–91. 11 Office for National Statistics, Coronavirus and deaths of homeless people, England and Wales: deaths registered up to 26 June 2020, 10 July 2020. 12 Q 15; C&AG’s Report, para 1.10. 13 C&AG’s Report, para 1.10. 14 Qq 14, 17–18. 15 Qq 15, 20. 16 C&AG’s Report, para 1.12. 17 Qq 19–20. 18 C&AG’s Report, para 2.20. 19 C&AG’s Report, para 20(c). 20 [Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care, University College London]. 21 [Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care, University College London]. 10 COVID-19: housing people sleeping rough Rough sleeping target and strategy