- Over £1.34m to tackle rough sleeping in Wales this winter
- Homeless deaths 'shocking and shameful' says Chartered Institute of Housing
- £5m for new network of rough sleeping hubs
- More than 120,000 children trapped in temporary accommodation 'a national disgrace' says CIH
- Liverpool City Council project is getting more rough sleepers into homes of their own
- Homelessness prevention launched for women leaving prison
- Mayor doubles street outreach team to help rough sleepers in the Capital
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Posted 20.12.18
Welsh Government: Article link
Minister for Housing and Local Government Julie James has announced more than £1.34 million to tackle rough sleeping in Wales this winter.
This includes £25,000 for every local authority in Wales to assist with winter pressures and deliver support to rough sleepers.
The funding includes:
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Posted 19.12.18
GOV.UK: Article link
As part of the government's £100 million Rough Sleeping Strategy - 11 'Somewhere Safe to Stay' centres will be set up across the country.
These will help provide immediate shelter and rapid assessment for those sleeping rough or at risk of doing so, as well as specialist support to address those with complex needs such as mental health problems and substance misuse.
This builds on the first year of the Rough Sleeping Initiative, launched in March, which is providing £64 million to over 80 councils over the next 2 years to support rough sleepers in their area.
The new hubs - backed by up to £4.8 million government funding - will be up and running by spring 2019 in the following areas:
A further 4 centres will follow next year.
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Posted 14.12.18
Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH): Article link
Commenting on the statutory homelessness figures for England for April to June, CIH Chief Executive Terrie Alafat CBE said:
"These figures reveal the stark reality of the homelessness crisis we are facing in this country - the fact that more than 120,000 children were living in temporary accommodation in June 2018 is quite simply a national disgrace.
"The number of households in temporary accommodation has increased by a staggering 71% since the low of December 2010 - this is frankly unacceptable. That figure includes almost 7,000 households - including more than 2,500 families with children - being forced to live in bed and breakfast accommodation, which is highly unsuitable.
"It is still very early days for the Homelessness Reduction Act, which came into force in April, but it does appear to be having an impact, with local authorities providing help for more people through their new duties. It's crucial that the government makes sure that councils have enough resources to deliver appropriate assistance effectively."
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Posted 03.12.18
Mayor of London: Article link
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has launched plans to help rough sleepers this winter by doubling the size of City Hall's street outreach team.
Further, he has agreed with London boroughs that severe weather shelters will now open London-wide if the temperature is predicted to drop below zero anywhere in the Capital. Previously, shelters were opened on a borough-by-borough basis, leading to patchy provision.
The Mayor has also persuaded all London boroughs to sign up to his 'In For Good' principle - a promise that, when a rough sleeper goes to an emergency shelter, they will be accommodated there until a support plan is put in place to help them off the streets for good.
After the success of last year's fundraising campaign, which raised nearly £200,000, the Mayor is once again working with the London Homeless Charities Group - a coalition of 22 charities working with homeless people across the capital.
The coalition offers Londoners an easily accessible, single donation point with all donations split between the charities and going towards projects they run.
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Updated 21.12.18
