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Government provides extra £66 million to support rough sleepers over winter


the winter, as well as treatment services for drug and alcohol dependency. This is part of the Government’s on-going drive


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to end rough sleeping by the end of this Parliament in 2024, backed by £640 million invested each year. The support will help rough sleepers off the


streets at a time of year when they face falling temperatures and give them an opportunity to turn their lives around by ending the cycle of addiction. Building on the success of the ‘Everyone In’


initiative, which supported 37,000 vulnerable people into longer-termaccommodation during the pandemic, this support will continue to help rough sleepers off the streets. Supported schemes include the following:


• More than 60 councils have been allocated a share of the up to £52 million Drug and Alcohol Treatment Grant scheme for specialist support services for rough sleepers and those at risk, including one-to-one support andmentoring;


• Voluntary, faith and community groups have been awarded grants fromthe £3.8 million Homelessness Transformation Fund to transform shared accommodation into COVID-secure, self- contained accommodation, giving rough sleepers safe places to stay; and


• Up to 3,500 rough sleepers will be provided with emergency accommodation, with areasmost in need of support to tackle rough sleeping invited to bid for funding fromthe £10 millionWinter Pressures Fund.


Rough sleeping has already reduced by over a third and theMinister for Rough Sleeping andHousing, EddieHughes MP said: “Rough sleepers are some of themost vulnerable people in our society and we must help them off the streets and end the plight of rough sleeping once and for all. “Thatmeans providing somewhere safe and


warmfor them to stay, and this funding will be a lifeline for thousands as the temperature drops this winter. We are also helping those trapped in drug and


alcohol addiction and giving them the stability they need to turn their lives around.” The new support package builds on the £202


million for councils to continue to help people off the streets, funding 14,500 bed spaces for rough sleepers and 2,700 specialist support staff. This is on top of £112 million invested last year. Those at risk of eviction are also being helped


through the £310 millionHomelessness Prevention Grant, with councils providing financial support or


Up to 3,500 rough sleeperswill be providedwith emergency accommodation,with areasmost in need of support to tackle rough sleeping invited to bid for funding fromthe £10millionWinter Pressures Fund


helping households find new homes. A £16 million pilot is also helping end the cycle of homelessness and hospital admissions by providing temporary accommodation, care and support for rough sleepers leaving hospital. Programmes and projects to benefit fromthe announcement include:


• Leeds: funding a street-based psychologist, who refers rough sleepers tomental health and substance misuse services and a drop-in clinic in the city centre which also provides specialist support.


• Westminster: funding theWestminster Rough Sleepers Drug and Alcohol Service, ensuring rough sleepers can access treatment programmes. Support is also provided for rough sleepers to access education, employment, or training once they have completed treatmennt.


• Southampton:more staff are supporting those with complex needs and substance misuse issues and a clinical psychologist ismaking sure that those withmental health issues get the support they need.


• Cambridge: funding a local charity working in partnership with the council to provide 20-bed self-contained rooms for a safe place this winter and route off the streets.


• London: funding the All People All Places project that will provide support for 50 people in the wintermonths.


The Drug and Alcohol Treatment Grant is entering its second year and is already supporting people sleeping rough in 43 council areas to access structured drug and alcohol treatment including counselling, detox and rehab services.


www.housingmmonline.co.uk | HMMDecember/January 2022 | 5


n additional £66 million is beingmade available to provide safe and warm accommodation for rough sleepers over


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