£34.6 million allocated to tackle rough sleeping – Crisis responds

The Department of Levelling Up, Communities and Housing (DLUHC) has allocated £34.6m to tackle rough sleeping in over 70 areas of the country, providing up to 4,300 additional beds and 630 more support staff.  

On the anniversary of the launch of the Government’s Rough Sleeping Strategy, today’s announcement allocates funding to areas ‘most in need of support’ to help people off the streets more quickly.  

DLUHC say this funding is on top of the original allocation of up to £500 million over three years, which was announced earlier this year, which has provided 14,000 beds for people who are rough sleeping and 3,000 staff to provide tailored support across England.  

Matt Downie, chief executive of Crisis, said: “While it’s positive to see the Westminster Government providing funding to support people sleeping rough, it is the bare minimum of what’s required. All forms of homelessness are increasing. A combination of rising living costs, soaring rents and huge demand for properties is leaving households across Britain unable to find or keep an affordable home.  

“To tackle rough sleeping for good, we need to see decisive action that prevents people from losing their homes in the first place – this includes urgent investment in housing benefit so it covers the cheapest of rents. The emphasis must be on tackling rather than ‘managing’ homelessness. Truly affordable homes, rather than beds, are desperately needed – without this, people who are helped off the streets run the risk of being forced to return as there is simply nowhere affordable for them to live long-term.”