Charities welcome ‘overdue’ £115m package to tackle homeless crisis

By The Press Association17th March 2016News EnglandBusiness / Funding / Finance, Finance, Homelessness, News England, Vulnerable Adults

At least 2,000 places will be created to help rough sleepers leave hostels under moves to tackle the UK’s rising homeless crisis.

Most of a £115 million package will be spent on low-cost “second stage” accommodation for rough sleepers leaving hostel accommodation and domestic abuse victims and their families moving on from refuges.

This will provide at least 2,000 places to enable independent living for vulnerable households and individuals, freeing up hostels and refuges.

Around £10 million will be spent over two years to support ways to prevent and reduce rough sleeping, particularly in London, while funding for a rough sleeping Social Impact Bond will be doubled to £10 million.

Action will also be taken to increase the number of rough sleeping EU migrants returning to their home countries.

Jon Sparkes, chief executive of Crisis, said: “Rough sleeping has more than doubled since 2010 and these vital funds are needed now more than ever.

“If the Government is serious about tackling homelessness, it needs to go much further than this. Without stronger action, including a change in the law and the funding to make it work, these measures do little to tackle the underlying problems, both in the law and with conditions in the housing market.”

Campbell Robb, chief executive of Shelter, said: “Today’s move by the Government to try and stem the devastating rise in street homelessness is overdue but welcome, and goes some way to redress the damaging consequences of previous cuts.

“While rough sleeping is the worst and most visible manifestation of homelessness, it’s only one part of a growing crisis that stretches far beyond our streets. Tragically, there are many more thousands of homeless people hidden away in cramped B&B’s, dingy hostels and sleeping on sofas.”