- The UK government has pledged £442m to help people sleeping rough in England move into emergency and settled accommodation.
- More than 1,000 settled homes are planned over the next three years.
- The programme will place special focus on women sleeping rough, including those exposed to violence, abuse and exploitation.
The United Kingdom government has pledged £442m to provide everyone sleeping rough in England with a route off the streets by Christmas as Prime Minister Andy Burnham intensifies efforts to end rough sleeping.
Eko Hot Blog reports that the funding will provide emergency accommodation and practical support covering housing, health and other needs, while also helping people experiencing homelessness move into secure, long-term accommodation.
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The announcement comes about a month after Burnham made ending rough sleeping his first instruction as Prime Minister.
According to the UK government, the programme will bring together central and local government, charities and other sectors to provide immediate assistance to people sleeping on the streets while expanding access to settled homes.
Burnham also announced plans for a national summit in the autumn involving leaders from business, finance, charities, health and faith communities. The summit is expected to explore how different sectors can contribute to the government’s goal.
The government said the £442m package would be funded from uncommitted budgets at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.
Burnham said no one should have to sleep in doorways or outside railway stations, adding that the government would work with communities and organisations to ensure people are brought in from the cold.
“We did it in the pandemic. We can do it again,” Burnham said, while calling on leaders across different sectors to support the initiative.
The government said more than 1,000 settled homes would be supported over the next three years, alongside intensive assistance for people experiencing long-term homelessness.
Areas facing the greatest pressure will receive a larger share of the funding, while councils and mayors will be responsible for driving local action and determining how support is delivered.
Housing Secretary Angela Rayner said the funding represented the government’s move from its pledge to concrete action.
She said the package would help thousands of people leave the streets, move into secure homes and receive the support required to rebuild their lives.
The government is also issuing guidance to local authorities to help them mobilise quickly and provide a consistent route off the streets during the winter.
The guidance places particular emphasis on women experiencing rough sleeping, as officials noted that women may be under-represented in official statistics and face heightened risks of violence, abuse and exploitation.
Local authorities have been encouraged to consider single-sex accommodation alongside specialist, intensive and trauma-informed support for women who have experienced domestic abuse or sexual violence.
Homelessness charities have welcomed the announcement, describing it as a major step towards ending rough sleeping in England.
Matt Downie, chief executive of Crisis, said the funding could put England on the path to ending rough sleeping, noting that people living on the streets face increased risks of illness, violence and abuse.
Dr Emma Haddad, chief executive of St Mungo’s, also welcomed the commitment, describing it as a pivotal moment for people experiencing rough sleeping.
Lord Bird, co-founder of the Big Issue, said the government’s approach echoed measures introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic, when authorities moved large numbers of rough sleepers into temporary accommodation.
However, he warned that people should not be placed in temporary accommodation only to be returned to the streets weeks later.
Other organisations, including Centrepoint, Homeless Link, Single Homeless Project and Solace, also welcomed the additional funding and the focus on emergency accommodation, long-term housing and support.
The government said the £442m package comprises £340m announced in July for new support aimed at providing settled accommodation for people experiencing long-term rough sleeping, alongside an additional £102m announced under the latest programme.
The measures are intended to provide emergency accommodation during winter while expanding longer-term housing and support for people experiencing homelessness.
Rough sleepers are people who live and sleep in open spaces or places not intended for habitation, including streets, doorways, park benches, cars and abandoned buildings, because they lack secure housing.
While all rough sleepers are homeless, not everyone who is homeless sleeps rough. Some homeless people live temporarily in hostels, shelters or with friends and relatives.
The latest funding also includes £8.4m for the Ending Homelessness in Communities Fund, bringing the total funding allocated to 100 projects to £47m over three years.
The government said the projects would support small and medium-sized charities and community organisations working with people experiencing or at risk of homelessness.
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