13.08.18
Homeless action plan given £100m government boost
As many as 6,000 rough sleepers will receive specialist support in a new government scheme announced today.
Supported by £100m in funding, the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG) will put the cash towards Whitehall’s aim of eradicating homelessness entirely by 2027.
The strategy is supported by a three-pronged approach: prevention, intervention, and recovery. The government will look to understand the issues that lead to rough sleeping and provide support for those at risk, in an effort to prevent people being forced into homelessness. The MHCLG has accepted that there is not a “one-size-fits-all solution” to rough sleeping, so it will be listening to individual groups such as LGBT people to understand the different layers and nuances of rough sleeping in the UK.
Funding will also allow officials to intervene and help those already sleeping rough, alongside supporting people in finding a new home and rebuilding lives. Part of this is £50m of funding to increase the supply of housing outside of London for people who have slept rough.
Around £19m of funding will be invested to provide flexible support in homes provided exclusively for people with a history of sleeping rough— and funding from dormant assets will provide up to £135m in extra resources for the scheme.
The MHCLG is also setting aside up to £17m to fund the ‘Somewhere Safe to Stay’ pilots to assess the needs of people at risk of homelessness.
NHS England and Public Health England will be asked to spend up to £30m over the next five years on health services for people who sleep rough, with a government commitment of £2m this year so far.
James Brokenshire said it was “simply unacceptable” that people have to sleep on streets and argued he was determined to make that a thing of the past.
“Whether people are at risk of rough sleeping, already on the streets or in need of settled accommodation, we now have a solid plan to help the most vulnerable in our society,” he added.
“And this is not just about putting a roof over their heads but helping them find a place to call home. They need and deserve our support and, through our expert-backed strategy, I am confident they will get it.”
Lord Porter, LGA chairman, said: “This strategy is a positive first step towards helping councils in their efforts to tackle rough sleeping.
“Councils want to end all homelessness by preventing it from happening in the first place. This means allowing councils to build more social homes, reviewing welfare reforms and ensuring councils have the certainty, resources and tools they need to bring together services around people at risk of becoming homeless.”
This latest announcement from the government comes after its £30m investment for homelessness in June.
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Image credit: Andrea Carroll, iStock images