Leading homelessness charity St Mungo’s has welcomed the Government’s allocation of £174 million to support people sleeping rough across England into long-term homes.
Announced today (11 February 2022) by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, the funding will create over 2,900 move-on homes between 2021 and 2024, forming part of the government’s Rough Sleeping Accommodation Programme.
Steve Douglas CBE, St Mungo’s Chief Executive, said: “It is good to see that the Government is honouring its commitment to tackling homelessness and ending rough sleeping by 2024 with this allocation of funding to provide homes for people who are sleeping rough.
“We particularly welcome the confirmation of multi-year settlements, which was a key recommendation of the Kerslake Commission on Homelessness and Rough Sleeping, as this long-term approach will empower local authorities to provide the wrap-around support which we know is essential in our clients’ journey to recovery.
“We know from our experience managing 30 hotels and supporting over 4,000 people during the Everyone In initiative that collaboration and long term revenue and capital funding make a real difference to what can be achieved.
“Our expert teams, along with many homelessness organisations and agencies working with our local authority partners, will aim to provide the wrap around support, including effective mental health and substance use support for those with complex needs, that we know is needed for many people who are homeless and sleeping, or at risk of sleeping on the streets.
“We are pleased to see the Government learning from the success of the pandemic response, as long-term solutions are the most effective route if we are to end rough sleeping for good.”
The Government has invited councils across England to bid for funding for the remainder of the programme, which is part of a total investment of £433 million in safe, long-term, stable and supported housing for people experiencing rough sleeping.
The news comes in advance of the 2021 rough sleeping snapshot statistics, which will be released on 24 February 2022.