Bidding opens for Government funds to stop rough sleepers returning to streets

A woman walking past a homeless person's tent in London

Councils will be able to apply for £105 million in Government funds to keep people in hotels and other short-term accommodation and see “as few people as possible” return to rough sleeping.

The previously announced money will allow homeless people to continue in interim accommodation for an “appropriate length of time” during 2020-21, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) said.

Almost 15,000 homeless people were brought off the streets and from night shelters into safe emergency accommodation at the start of the pandemic under the Everyone In scheme.

The money launched under the Government’s Next Steps Accommodation Programme will also help people move into the private rented sector, secure alternative interim accommodation and reconnect with friends or family.

A further £161 million of previously announced money is also available to help provide 3,300 additional supported homes this year.

This is part of a total of £433 million to provide 6,000 long-term, safe homes for those in need.

The Government has been repeatedly urged to end rough sleeping by ensuring nobody returns to the streets after being helped into safe accommodation.

The MHCLG said the money will “help ensure as few people as possible helped off the streets and into accommodation during the pandemic return to sleeping rough”.

Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick said: “The remarkable national effort to support rough sleepers and vulnerable people during this crisis has protected many lives and I am hugely grateful to all those involved.

“We now have a landmark opportunity to break the cycle of rough sleeping and ensure that people do not return to a life on the streets.

“Today I am launching the funding to ensure that vulnerable people and rough sleepers continue to have a roof over their heads and are helped into longer-term accommodation, enabling them to start to rebuild their lives.”

Councils and local partners have until August 20 to submit bids.