Campaign reply - Ending Rough Sleeping

Thank you for contacting me about ending rough sleeping.

Let me assure you that there is a firm commitment across Government to end rough sleeping once and for all. The Government has set out its plans to do so in its strategy ‘Ending Rough Sleeping For Good’. This reiterates the goal that rough sleeping will be prevented wherever possible and where it does occur it will be rare, brief and non-recurring.

 

At the heart of this strategy is a ‘prevention first’ approach which focuses on preventing people from sleeping rough in the first place. I was encouraged to see the Government set out an ambition for no one to leave a public institution, such as a prison or hospital, homeless. Already, legislation has been passed to reduce numbers of prisoners released on Fridays to help with better access to essential services. 

 

The Government's rough sleeping strategy is backed up by £2 billion worth of investment between 2022-23 and 2024-25. As part of this, the Rough Sleeping Initiative is being expanded to further support people off the street and into longer-term housing-led solutions. Tailored support may include helping individuals find work, manage their finances and access mental and physical health services. In January 2024, the Government announced £13.1 million in additional funding for the Rough Sleeping Initiative, taking the total to over £547 million. A further £4 million has also been announced in Rough Sleeping Winter Pressures funding for local authorities facing the greatest pressures in rough sleeping in England.

 

In addition, in February 2024 the Government provided a further £220 million of funding to councils. £107 million is to provide more than 800 homes for rough sleepers. The money is being made available immediately to councils to purchase or rent properties to give rough sleepers a safe space to stay whilst they rebuild their lives off the streets. £109 million is a boost to the Homelessness Prevention Grant, the funding can be used by councils to prevent evictions before they occur or fund temporary accommodation. This brings the total fund to £1.2 billion, it has supported more than 160,000 people since the scheme opened in 2022. 

Rightly, Government funding for different types of accommodation reflects the fact that there is no one size fits all approach to supporting rough sleepers. For example, the £10 million Night Shelter Transformation Fund will increase the availability of quality single-room provision within the night shelter sector. Meanwhile, investment in longer-term housing solutions includes the £200 million Single Homelessness Accommodation Programme which will deliver up to 2,400 homes and wrap-around support. 

 

I am confident that, together, these measures and the whole system approach that will bring them together will help end rough sleeping for good.

 

Thank you again for taking the time to contact me.