PRESS RELEASE : Homes and beds to help hundreds of rough sleepers off the streets [February 2024]

The press release issued by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on 28 February 2024.

Nearly £220 million given to councils across the country to help deliver over 800 homes for rough sleepers and help prevent families from becoming homeless.

Hundreds of families will be prevented from becoming homeless and rough sleepers will be helped off the streets thanks to over £220 million of government funding being given to councils today.

The Minister for Housing and Homelessness Felicity Buchan has announced the funding boost which targets areas most in need and includes specialist support for the most vulnerable who require mental health or substance misuse support.

Further funding includes:

• £107 million to provide more than 800 homes for rough sleepers. The money is being made available immediately to councils to purchase or rent properties to give rough sleepers a safe space to stay whilst they rebuild their lives off the streets.
• A £109 million boost to the Homelessness Prevention Grant, the funding can be used by councils to prevent evictions before they occur or fund temporary accommodation. Bringing the total fund to £1.2 billion, with more than 160,000 people supported since the scheme opened in 2022.
• A further £6 million to boost the number off-street spaces for rough sleepers in winter, to provide warm and safe places to sleep and access services.

This brings total government investment to £2.4 billion over three years (2022-25) to tackle homelessness and end rough sleeping for good.

Minister for Housing and Homelessness Felicity Buchan said:

We are working alongside councils and charities to do all we can to help rough sleepers off the streets and to prevent homelessness.

Today’s announcement brings the total funding to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping to an unprecedented £2.4 billion, meaning we can help thousands of the most vulnerable people and give them the support they need to rebuild their lives.

The councils receiving additional funding to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping include:

• London boroughs will receive a combined £38 million for extra homes, beds and specialist mental health and substance misuse services for rough sleepers.
• Sheffield City Council will be given over £3 million which will include providing 10 properties for those with a history of rough sleeping.
• City of Liverpool will receive over £2 million to deliver 20 homes for single homeless young people to help them live independently to prevent a repeating cycle of homelessness.

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities has partnered with councils to design tailored support for the issues in their area.

Government departments are working hand-in-hand with the homelessness sector and its partners in local government to tackle homelessness, including:

• Delivering 6,000 homes through the Rough Sleeping Accommodation Programme giving stable, long-term accommodation to those sleeping rough.
• Introducing the Rough Sleeping Drug and Alcohol Treatment Grant has helped over 10,600 vulnerable people access the help they need.
• Providing accommodation for Ex-Offenders programme which has supported 2,750 ex-offenders into their own homes in the private rented sector.

Today’s funding boost builds on the Government’s strategy to tackle homelessness and end rough sleeping for good.

Further information

City of Liverpool YMCA

YMCA Together have be given over £2 million to deliver 20 homes for single homeless young people across Liverpool. The funding will enable young people to move on to more independent living, equipped and empowered with the tools to prevent a repeating cycle of homelessness.

Jon Metcalf (Deputy Chief Exec City of Liverpool YMCA ):

We’re delighted with the announcement of SHAP funding in Liverpool which will enable us to create much needed homes for younger people experiencing homelessness and together with support that we will be able to provide we aim to help people develop their social capital so that they’re able to navigate safely through a challenging time in their lives.

• The Homelessness Code of Guidance is being updated to make it explicit that temporary accommodation should not be considered suitable for a family with children under two if there is not enough space for a cot and that housing authorities should support families to secure a cot where needed. This will help to ensure families can follow safer sleeping guidance and help prevent avoidable infant deaths.
• The StreetLink campaign is now running which enables members of the public to alert local council outreach workers if they see someone sleeping rough. Investment from government has made it simpler than ever for people to support a person sleeping rough off the streets and into safe accommodation.