Manchester begins housing coronavirus homeless

Greater Manchester has started its transition to sustainably accommodate and support homeless people who have been housed in hotels and other temporary accommodation during the coronavirus crisis.

As a result of the government’s ‘Everyone In’ policy, almost 2,000 placements have been made into hotels spread across the city-region since mid-March, with most the accommodation ideally suited to maintaining social distancing during the height of the pandemic.

Twice as many individuals required support than was initially anticipated by Greater Manchester leaders and, with central government now focused on moving people on, advanced plans have been drawn up to assist residents into suitable and supportive environments where they can progress to a life permanently off the streets. The government’s recent announcement of new funding to continue the Everyone In approach for those already accommodated has been welcomed by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority.

The GMCA has funded four hotel sites in Greater Manchester during the pandemic. All four arrangements will come to an end by the start of July and residents have been provided with short-term or settled accommodation options. This includes Phase 3 of the innovative A Bed Every Night scheme, as well as settled homes provided by the Greater Manchester housing providers. Over 115 people have been assisted into settled accommodation since the start of the pandemic.

However, there remains more than 650 people in Greater Manchester in temporary accommodation due to covid, funded by GMCA or local authorities. Over £13 million of funding has been committed to ensure that there is ongoing accommodation and support and no one is returned to the streets.

Greater Manchester Leaders have called on Government for clarity on the nature of new funding announced for the city-region, to specifically deliver: expansion of A Bed Every Night complex needs accommodation and support; additional accommodation and support funding for people who continue to rough sleep, via the Rough Sleeper Initiative; and support funding for those people with ongoing needs who can sustainably access longer-term tenancies if such support is available.

Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, said: “The drive to accommodate vulnerable people in hotels across Greater Manchester throughout the pandemic has been nothing short of remarkable. It has shown us at our best – we care about our fellow residents and do not walk on by. We have done the right thing and we will continue to do the right thing by those who need our help most – supporting people into short- and longer-term homelessness accommodation and continuing to work with them to help establish a future away from the streets.”