Team Lopez – People at risk of rough sleeping and homelessness will be able to access extra support after the Government announced £23 million in additional funding as part of a wider plan to end rough sleeping for good by 2024.
42 areas across England will share an additional £23 million to pay for drug and alcohol misuse services targeted at vulnerable people at risk of rough sleeping in 2020-21. From April next year, funding for the programme will more than double to £52 million for 2021-22 with future allocations to be announced at a later date.
Thousands of rough sleepers who are being provided with emergency accommodation during the pandemic as part of the Government’s ‘Everyone In’ programme, and people who are currently rough sleeping, will be eligible for the support. The funding will pay for them to access drug and alcohol treatment, including detox and rehabilitation support, and to access mental health and substance dependence workers who can help them get their life back on track
The Government has also confirmed that local authorities will receive funding from the £15 million Protect Programme to provide accommodation for rough sleepers during the pandemic in areas that required extra support during the restrictions and throughout winter.
Taken together, government spending on rough sleeping and homelessness this year is over £700 million, with the ‘Everyone In’ campaign helping to protect thousands of lives during the pandemic by housing rough sleepers in safe accommodation.
Last month, additional funding was allocated to Havering Council to help provide a permanent place to live for rough sleepers. Ths month, Julia welcomes the Government's continued commitment to tackling rough sleeping nationally - https://www.julialopez.co.uk/news/havering-council-receive-ps3035413-provide-permanent-place-live-rough-sleepers