Public urged to help shape new homelessness laws

People on the Isle of Man have been urged to help the government come up with a definition of homelessness to help shape new laws aimed at tackling the problem.

The island's only overnight shelter closed in 2022, while those without a home have been given a bed by Manx Care on 9,137 nights from July 2024 to June this year.

A consultation has been launched on issues such as which groups should be prioritised for temporary accommodation and the responsibilities of housing authorities.

Housing board chair David Ashford MHK said this was an "important first step" in the development of Manx homelessness laws.

The consultation will also look at legislation in England, Wales and Scotland and asks how similar approaches could work in the island.

"We are using legislation in the UK as a starting point for discussion, our own legislation will need to be tailored to the needs of our community," Ashford said.

An overarching homelessness strategy was launched in 2023, which set out plans to introduce legal requirements to prevent and address homelessness on the Isle of Man

Since then, Manx Care has been building a team to deliver support, which has included appointing two lead practitioners and four community support workers early this year.

The consultation set out by the government includes an examination of issues like duty of care for vulnerable people, and the legal responsibilities of the organisations that support them.

The consultation closes on 25 February with feedback to be sent to ministers by the end of March.

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