After being hailed as a solution to London’s housing crisis in the 1960s, Milton Keynes is now facing a crisis of its own. The media dubbed the city “tent city” due to the encampments of rough sleepers that could be found throughout the centre. In autumn 2017, the number of rough sleepers in the city was estimated to be 48 on a single night, but this figure has now dropped to 16, according to the local council.
The issue hit the headlines recently after Home Secretary Suella Braverman claimed that some people were sleeping on the streets as a “lifestyle choice”. This comment provoked a backlash from homelessness charities and some Conservatives. Braverman has proposed restricting the use of tents by rough sleepers, such as by issuing fines to those who refuse to move from shop doorways or charities that provide tents.
Emily Darlington, the cabinet member for housing and a Labour councillor in Milton Keynes, argues that “tents are just the symptom, they’re not the cause”. She argues that people sleep in tents because “public services or the voluntary sector have failed them” and that the key to preventing people falling through the cracks has been bringing emergency beds and other support services under one roof.
In April 2022, the council of Milton Keynes opened its own shelter for rough sleepers at the city’s old bus station, providing emergency beds for up to 19 people every night. The ground floor of the building offers access to GP, mental health, and addiction services. Charities provide help setting up bank accounts, accessing benefits, and finding housing, as well as hot meals, a hairdresser, and laundry facilities. Since the shelter opened, 145 people have been helped to move into long-term accommodation.
Despite this progress, there are still some people sleeping rough in Milton Keynes. The city has a severe shortage of affordable housing, a lack of support services, and a cost-of-living crisis that drives people into homelessness. An independent commission recently stated that the government will not meet its own target to end rough sleeping by 2024. The commission cited a shortage of affordable housing and support services as two key reasons for the crisis
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