Councils and organisations combating homelessness will receive £50m, targeting the areas and people most in need.
By now, it’s well known that Labour are looking to end rough sleeping by the end of this parliament. To support this target, the government has announced two major programmes worth a total of £50m.
The Ending Homelessness in Communities Fund – worth £37m – will back voluntary, community and faith groups, who are often the first point of contact for people in crisis.
Meanwhile, the Long-Term Rough Sleeping Innovation Programme targets the 28 areas facing the greatest pressures, including London. The £15m scheme aims to improve coordination between councils and partners.
The announcement forms part of the government’s national plan to end homelessness, backed by £3.6bn. The initiative pledges to halve long-term rough sleeping, end unlawful use of B&Bs for families and prevent households from becoming homeless in the first place.
Commenting on the news, housing secretary Steve Reed said: ‘Homelessness is one of the most profound challenges we face as a society. I’ve seen for myself the vital work that organisations are doing to help support people who have nowhere to live.’
‘This announcement is about helping those incredible frontline workers,’ he continued. ‘It is the next step in our national plan to end homelessness which will finally tackle this shameful crisis on our streets.’
Homelessness minister Alison McGovern added: ‘As the coldest months of the year and wet weather continue, for many, the harsh reality of homelessness becomes harder than ever – particularly for someone bedding down on the street.
‘And we know the picture is even starker for women with domestic abuse being a significant driver of homelessness. No one should end up on the streets because of violence at home.’
To give context, the latest data from SafeLives shows roughly one in five victims of domestic abuse becomes homeless. In England, 6,850 people were accepted as homeless due to violent relationship breakdowns in 2017.
Rich Henderson, CEO of Homeless Link, said: ‘Preventing and ending rough sleeping must be a priority and we welcome the much needed new funding announced by the government. In particular, we are delighted to support the Ending Homelessness in Communities Fund, which contributes additional, strategic funding for voluntary, community and faith sector organisations.’
In similar vein, Bonnie Williams, chief executive of Housing Justice, hailed the news as a ‘positive step’.
‘It has the potential to enable the voluntary, community and faith sector to play an even greater role in the solution providing compassionate, relational support that helps people move from crisis to stability, sustain tenancies, and rebuild fulfilling lives within their communities,’ she said. ‘We hope that this renewed focus on prevention and community-based solutions will mean that this time next year we see a significant and sustained reduction in rough sleeping.’
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