More rough sleepers across the South East of England will be helped off the streets and into safe accommodation, following the announcement of £11.4million in funding, Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick MP has announced today (Tuesday).
Nationally, this funding is a 30% increase this year and will be used by local authorities, charities and other organisations to fund up to 1,233 new bed spaces and 410 support staff across the region. This will help vulnerable rough sleepers get the support they need to rebuild their lives.
This could mean a roof over their head, access to specialist mental health or addiction services, or advice on how to secure a home in the long term.
Homelessness Minister Luke Hall MP said:
“No-one should have to face a night on the street, and we have a moral duty to support those who need help the most. It is encouraging to see more people getting the support they need, but there is always more to do.
“There are people all over the South East working tirelessly to improve the lives of the most vulnerable in our society. Our Rough Sleeping Initiative is proving to be successful, and this funding will mean this vital work can be continued as we set out to end rough sleeping once and for all.”
Government funding for rough sleeping has already helped hundreds of people across the South East region to improve their lives and get off the street. This is a coordinated effort across housing, addiction support, mental health services and policing. We intend to continue to bring all parts of government together to end rough sleeping by the end of this parliament.
The funding will be used by councils to:
- Create street-based services including outreach teams who will locate and support rough sleepers directly on the streets and offer them access to services;
- Establish first stage accommodation such as hostels, Somewhere Safe to Stay hubs and emergency access beds which provide warm and dry shelter, rapid assessment, and support to people who are already – or at risk of – sleeping rough;
- Set up housing support and housing-led solutions providing stable, affordable accommodation and intensive wrap-around support to help people who are sleeping rough recover from complex issues and sustain their tenancies;
- Introduce specialist support workers including Rough Sleeping Coordinators, navigators, and specialist health and care staff.
The Rough Sleeping Initiative was launched in 2018 to ensure local areas were being given the boost they needed to provide these vital services for those living on the streets. Overall the funding will help to create up to 6,000 bed spaces and employ 2,500 staff, giving people access to a roof over their head when they need it most as well as the help they need to recover from a life on the streets.
The funding follows the Prime Minister’s drive to tackle homelessness and the announcement of over £260million for local authorities. This will help people who are homeless or at risk of losing their homes improve their lives and get back on their feet.
We could cut immigration to the bone, as every time a person steps ashore here, a home does not ‘magically’ appear.
And as many non British have large families, then ‘time’ will make the homeless situation worse, not better.
As houses are so very expensive, both in monetary terms, and by taking yet ‘another’ plot of Britain’s green and pleasant, then we should ONLY allow those in who can earn enough, or arrive with enough to pay their own rent or purchase their own home, without having their rent subsidised by the rest of us taxpayers.
This would limit the numbers, making those who do come a ‘gain’ not a ‘drain’, and ease the housing and disappearing countryside too.
Most British when they ‘go’ to live in other countries, either buy a home, or take their pensions and pay their own way, thus are a boon for many lands they emigrate too.
Big difference, and the reason why the welcome mat here is threadbare.
How come at Christmas we can provide shelter and food for the homeless so what about the rest of the year why can’t we provide for them ?
No sympathy at all.. most on the streets had accommodation but were too antisocial due to drink or drugs and were thrown out