A spokesman for Homeless Link said: "The government has had some real success on homelessness, reducing the numbers of rough sleepers and the number of families in temporary accommodation.
"However, homelessness has still not gone away.
"The select committee report sets out a very clear agenda for the government. We are delighted that it takes up many of the proposals that Homeless Link and our members have been calling for.
"The government must now embrace the goal of eradicating homelessness and take urgent action to implement the committee’s recommendations.
"The report endorses a range of positions supported by Homeless Link and its members, including: An urgent review of 'priority need' and inclusion of all older people.
"An end the inappropriate 'gate-keeping' of Local Authority housing stock. A cost/benefit analysis for ending the ending of the vulnerability test for statutory homelessness.
"New performance indictor for Councils to ensure they take measures to prevent homelessness.
"Recognising that homeless people must be a priority for social housing. Much more ambitious targets to get people out of all types of temporary accommodation.
"Health trusts to be required to produce strategies to deliver services to homeless people."
Stakeholder Response: Help the Aged
Joe Oldman, older homelessness and housing needs manager at Help the Aged, said: "Older homeless people are spending far too long in temporary accommodation and many of these don’t even appear on the official homelessness statistics – if they did, the figures reported today would be even higher.
"If the government wishes to see a reduction in the number of vulnerable older homeless people in temporary accommodation it needs imaginatively to review the options for longer term supported housing as part of its overall strategy to increase the supply of affordable housing.
"As part of this, Help the Aged strongly believes that local authorities could make much better use of vacant sheltered housing if special funding was made available for long term care and support."
