Khan announces £50m to tackle homelessness

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has set out plans for a £50 million ‘move-on’ housing fund to help homeless people progress from hostels and refuges to long-term accommodation.

The funding is available to housing providers as part of Khan’s £3.15 billion Affordable Homes Programme, and comes after Khan recently allocated funding to a specialist service designed to support women who are sleeping on the streets.

Female rough sleepers often ‘disguise’ their homelessness for protection and so the Female Hidden Homeless Project, run by the Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust, will be able to offer them help.

Speaking at the Marylebone Project, which offers beds to homeless women, the Khan said: "Homelessness is a complicated problem and it will take time to turn things around, but I’m determined we do everything we can to support people from becoming homeless and help them if they do. This is why I’ve set out plans to invest £50 million in accommodation for people moving from hostels to long-term independent living, alongside the £9 million we spend every year on rough sleeping services. I’ve brought together boroughs, government, and the wider housing sector, and it’s critical we work together to tackle the scourge of homelessness.

“Rough sleeping can be very dangerous, and homeless women are particularly vulnerable to abuse, which is why the specialist services provided by places like the Marylebone Project and the Female Hidden Homeless Project that I am supporting are much needed.”