Councils invited to bid for £212m homeless fund

The government has announced details of a £212m fund, which councils can bid for to build 6,000 new homes for rough sleepers.

According to the Ministry of Homes, Communities and Local Government, the funding for the Rough Sleeping Accommodation Programme will be spread over the next three years, as part of a total £433m investment in safe, long-term, stable and supported housing for rough sleepers.

It comes after a report by the public accounts committee, which warned that last year’s Everyone In programme exposed the scale of homelessness around the country.

The report found that the programme, which was launched at the beginning of the first lockdown has helped more than 37,000 people into accommodation – nearly nine times the number of rough sleepers recorded in the last official snapshot before the start of the pandemic (4,266).

‘Since the start of the pandemic, we made it a priority to protect rough sleepers through our ongoing Everyone In campaign, which has supported more than 37,000 people into long-term accommodation,’ said communities secretary, Robert Jenrick.

‘To build on this progress we are making the biggest ever investment in longer-term accommodation for rough sleepers so they can have a secure, safe and comfortable home and rebuild their lives.

‘Councils have played an outstanding role in protecting rough sleepers throughout the pandemic and today’s funding is a further opportunity to work together to achieve our mission of ending rough sleeping once and for all.’

The chairman of the Local Government Association, Cllr James Jamieson, added: ‘This investment will help to transform the lives of people sleeping rough and ensure they get the crucial support they need and a roof above their head.

‘Councils stand ready to play their part in the cross-government drive to end rough sleeping altogether and make sure no-one suffers the tragedy of becoming homeless.’

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