Local MP, Caroline Dinenage, has welcomed the announcement by Housing Secretary, Robert Jenrick, that £433 million will support new, ambitious steps to end rough sleeping for good.
The funding will go towards creating supported homes for those sleeping on the streets, aiming to provide 6000 homes, 3300 of which will be available in the next 12 months.
These homes are not only about providing a roof over someone’s head, but support services from specialist staff will be available to ensure that a long-term, sustainable solution is found. This includes mental health and substance abuse support.
From the outset of the pandemic, the Government, Local Authorities and charities have worked to ensure that everyone has had the necessary accommodation to remain safe. With Government funding of more than £5 billion for the Covid-19 Respond Fund, more than 90% of rough sleepers known to Councils have received an offer of accommodation.
Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick MP said:
“We have offered accommodation to over 90% of known rough sleepers in order to help them stay safe during the pandemic. This has been possible because of an incredible effort by the government, councils and charities. Thousands of lives have been protected as a result of the shared commitment to protect the most vulnerable in our society throughout this national emergency and we continue to fund this vital project.
“This government wants to end rough sleeping for good, and we now have a real opportunity to deliver on this moral mission. I’m backing this effort with £433 million to fast-track the longer-term and safe accommodation needed to ensure as few rough sleepers as possible return to the streets. This is an unprecedented commitment – the most ambitious of its kind and the single biggest injection of specialist accommodation since the rough sleepers initiative began.”
“This will be completely transformative and changes the lives of thousands of rough sleepers for the better.”
In Gosport, the Council have placed self-contained temporary accommodation units in Walpole care park and all known rough sleepers have been offered local housing. Fareham Borough Council has also sourced local accommodation for all known rough sleepers and the Outreach Team will continue to patrol the streets to identify and assist any further rough sleepers that may come to Fareham.
Local MP, Caroline Dinenage, has commented:
“From my regular updates with the Council, I have been incredibly impressed with their brilliant work to ensure that every known rough sleeper in our local area has been offered accommodation.
“This is a fantastic feat, and one that we are seeing replicated cross the country.
“This is not just a short-term response in reaction to the pandemic, but a genuine commitment to ensure that we end rough sleeping for good. The funding announcement is another welcome step towards achieving this ambitious goal.”
Dame Louise Casey is leading the Rough Sleeping Covid 19 Response Taskforce to analyse the current success of the Covid-19 response and to see how it can be used as a long-term, sustainable approach to permanently stop rough sleeping.