Rough Sleeping Winter Pressures Funding tripled

The Rough Sleeping Winter Pressures Funding has been tripled from £10 million to £30 million.

The government scheme to increase the use of emergency accommodation for rough sleepers will help more rough sleepers off the streets and provide warm beds.

The cash will go directly into areas with record levels of rough sleeping.

Figures show that those experiencing homelessness or rough sleeping are 8 to 12 times more likely to die prematurely.

More than 280 councils will have extra resources to support frontline workers providing vital services on the ground, which will see more people sleeping rough into safe and secure accommodation with warm beds, hot meals and medical treatment.   

The extra funding will also continue supporting specialist programmes for vulnerable groups sleeping rough - including veterans, care leavers and victims of domestic abuse.

Minister for Homelessness, Rushanara Ali said: “Behind every sad rough sleeping statistic, there is a person who has been let down by the system for far too long. This government is more determined than ever to turn the tide on years of failure to properly invest in our frontline services.  

“That is why I am tripling the emergency funding from £10 million to £30 million for councils to help the most vulnerable into safe and secure housing with warm beds, hot meals, and specialist care.

“Through our Plan for Change we are already taking urgent action to tackle the worst housing crisis in living memory, delivering the biggest boost in social and affordable housing in a generation and getting us back on track to end homelessness for good.”

The extra funding builds on the largest-ever investment in homelessness prevention services of almost £1 billion for this year, including over £185 million for the Rough Sleeping Prevention and Recovery Grant.