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So the cost of living crisis is over. At least, that's the view from No. 10.

Rishi Sunak, the man who is so in touch with the man in the street that he tries to scan his debit card on a barcode reader, tells us that Cost of Living payments to the poorest will cease because things are getting easier.

Hundreds of my constituents, going to sleep in hotel rooms tonight, would disagree. My office is contacted by several homeless families every single week who have spent several months moving from hotel room to hotel room, moving across the city with a few hours notice as often, in some cases, as nightly.
Those who are offered self-contained accommodation are being asked to move miles away from their own communities and support networks. The reason is the government's complete lack of agility in responding to the cost-of-living crisis.

Council housing departments nationwide (but in London especially) have been hit by a double whammy which has left them completely unable to cope with the volume of homeless applications they have received. Evictions multiplied after Dumb and Dumber's mini-budget sent mortgages sky-rocketing, leading thousands of buy-to-let landlords to sell up, leaving their tenants stranded.
Meanwhile, the government maintained the freeze on the Local Housing Allowance- (LHA- the rate at which the maximum amount that can be paid in Housing Benefit is set) while rents continued to rise, until only 1.5% of private rental properties fell below that limit.

The result? Stratospheric demand, haemorrhaging supply.

Under pressure from opposition parties and campaigners like Citizens' Advice, the Chancellor, in his autumn statement, lifted the LHA, effective from April. This should ease the problem but it is no silver bullet. There are no sign that the government intends to undo older, damaging policies on welfare that will continue to impose hardship on larger families in particular.

This country deserves a government that acknowledges the enormous scale of the housing crisis and undertakes to deliver hundreds of thousands of new homes, especially social housing, and bring about real change for working people. That just won't happen unless we get rid of this hopeless and out-of-touch government.

As you would expect my office has been contacted by anxious family members and other constituents sponsoring Ukrainian refugees who have applied to settle here under the Family or Homes for Ukraine schemes. Many are experiencing long waits whilst they contend with less than ideal circumstances in Poland, other European countries or, in some cases, still in Ukraine itself.

My staff have been working hard to obtain updates for applications where there has been a delay and/or urgent need. However, it is becoming clear that the hotline service we use is not resourced to meet the scale of demand and in recent days we have found it impossible to get through. We will, of course, keep on trying.

If you are sponsoring a Ukrainian refugee who has not received a decision on an application made two or more weeks ago, or if you believe there is a compelling medical reason why their case needs to be prioritised, I would still encourage you to contact me regarding their case via email: john.cryer.mp@parliament.uk. I will need their full name (exactly as stated on their application), date of birth and application reference number starting GWF. If you are not the sponsor I will need their consent or the applicant's before I can proceed.

There is also a public enquiry line, which can be reached on: 0808 1648810.

See the latest information regarding COVID-19 vaccinations including a download of the frequently asked questions

Many children are eligible for Free School Meals in Leyton and Wantead. Leyton and Wanstead constituency is across two London boroughs, please see the relevant information for where you live in Leyton and Wanstead.

Waltham Forest wards: Cann Hall, Cathall, Forest, Grove Green, Leyton and Leytonstone

Redbridge Wards: South Woodford, Wanstead Park and Wanstead Village

If you have any concerns about Coronavirus, the Government - the Department of Health and Public Health England - has issued guidance on symptoms, self-isolation (Stay at Home guidance), travel advice and statistics on cases.

This information can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/topical-events/coronavirus-covid-19-uk-government-response

Read the full information attached.

Criminal Justice and Coronavirus (Trials, Jury Service and Prison Visits) https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-and-prisons