Homelessness isn't always visible. Across the Liverpool City
Region, some of the most vulnerable people aren't sleeping rough
in busy city centres - they're living in tents pitched in
woodlands, parks, and abandoned buildings, often isolated and out
of reach.
Mayor visited outreach workers in
Knowsley to meet people living ‘off grid' in woodland areas and
to see first hand how local teams are working to support them.
The visit was part of the Combined Authority-funded Assertive
Outreach programme, delivered by homelessness charity The
Whitechapel Centre, which has already supported 357 people so far
this year.
The visit coincided with confirmation that the Liverpool City
Region Combined Authority has secured an additional £4.1 million
in government funding to continue and expand its work tackling
homelessness.
The new funding will help sustain the Combined Authority's
pioneering Housing First programme and a range of other targeted
interventions, including specialist outreach teams, a dedicated
homelessness social worker, and a community psychiatric nurse -
all delivered in partnership with the region's six local
authorities and frontline organisations.
Housing First, one of the first policies introduced by the Mayor,
provides people facing the most complex barriers with a permanent
home and the tailored support they need to address issues such as
mental health, trauma and addiction. Since launching, it has
helped over 400 people to start rebuilding their lives with
stability and dignity.
Mayor of the Liverpool City Region said:
“Homelessness isn't always what people imagine - it's not
just the people we see in city centres, but also those sleeping
in tents in woods, in parks, and in derelict buildings.
“No one should ever be made to feel invisible.
That's why we're investing in services that go out to meet people
wherever they are - offering not just a roof for the night, but
the long-term support they need to rebuild their lives.
“Housing First was one of the first policies I
introduced as Mayor. Since then, we've supported more than 400
people into secure homes, with wraparound help to address complex
needs like mental health and addiction. This additional funding
means we can keep that momentum going - helping more people move
off the streets and into a better future.”
Graham Morgan, Cabinet Member for Housing and
Regeneration and Leader of Knowsley Council said:
“The specific outreach support provided by the Combined
Authority through the commissioned service delivered by
Whitechapel, means we can reach more people experiencing rough
sleeping in our borough.
“It allows support workers to get out to people, understand
what has happened to them and then work hand in hand with our
statutory homeless teams. It's a collaborative effort to generate
the best outcomes for rough sleepers in Knowsley and help people
off the streets to move forward with their lives in a positive
way.”
Sophie Mayor, Services Manager for Whitechapel which
delivers assertive outreach programmes across Knowsley, Halton
and St Helens on behalf of the Combined Authority said:
“Homelessness isn't always what you see in big city centres,
it can be quite different and more remote in the towns that make
up the city region. We receive welfare alerts for people in
parks, disused buildings, woodland, places slightly more off the
grid than we might see in Liverpool.
“Assertive Outreach is a service which is helping people when
other support hasn't worked. We work closely with the local
authorities in Knowsley, Halton and St Helens where the Combined
Authority commissioned service is active and can more swiftly
support homeless people experiencing mental health or social
issues thanks to our community psychiatric nurse and social
worker.”
Notes to Editors
The Combined Authority has been awarded £4,125,039 for 2025/26 by
the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.
Of this, £3,486,572 comes from the Rough Sleeping Prevention and
Recovery Grant (RSPARG), which funds Housing First and a range of
other commissioned services, including Assertive Outreach,
Homelessness Social Worker provision, the Trailblazers early
intervention programme, and the Accommodation for Ex-Offenders
(AFEO) initiative.
A further £638,467 will continue to fund one-bedroom homes
provided through social investment company Resonance, part of the
Rough Sleeping Accommodation Programme (RSAP).
This latest funding will support services across the region
through to March 2026.
