Rough Sleeping & Homeless Prevention Response From UK Government
Rough Sleeping Issues and Homeless Prevention, In General, is a large part of the Action on Homes campaign. Charles Harrison recently wrote to the department of levelling up, communities and housing and invited them to attend the Action on Homes Conference.
“Dear Charles Harrison,
Thank you for your email inviting our Deputy Director and colleagues to the Action on Homes Conference in Brighton.
I am replying as I work in the team responsible for homelessness and rough sleeping policy. Unfortunately, given diary pressures across the directorate, we will be unable to send anyone on this occasion. As stated in your email, we understand the far-reaching consequences of housing deprivation and the Government has committed to spend £2bn to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping over the next 3 years.
As stated in your email, we understand the far-reaching consequences of housing deprivation and the Government has committed to spend £2bn to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping over the next 3 years.
To make sure rough sleepers don’t return to the streets, we have provided £433 million to the Rough Sleeping Accommodation Programme to provide 6,000 move-on homes, available as long-term assets, and accompanying support services to those who are rough sleeping or who have a history of sleeping rough.
Further, we provided up to £202m investment across England through the Rough Sleeping Initiative last year (2021- 2022) – more than 80% increase from the £112m provided in 20/21 – funding up to 14,500 bed spaces and 2,700 support staff across England.
Following the 2021 Spending Review, we have been working with local areas to develop ambitious plans to think longer-term about their responses to rough sleeping, delivered through the Rough Sleeping Initiative (RSI) 2022-25.
This three-year programme enables local authorities to reduce the number of people sleeping rough and to enhance services for them, and for those at risk of sleeping rough. We will be sharing further information on what we are funding local authorities to deliver in due course. I hope this email was useful and that the conference goes well.
Yours sincerely,
Kathryn Taplin
Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Directorate
Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities”
ACTION ON HOMES: Community Conference
Rough Sleepers and Homelessness in general, is a key focus area for Brighton & Hove as a city. Rough Sleeping and Homelessness case are hugely impacted by the rise in demand, lack of supply of decent, secure and affordable accommodation and local council decisions.
People with lived street homelessness experience tell us that, the local offering of homeless housing is often so bad, that they feel safer rough sleeping, compared to living in some of the cities and out of area homeless accommodation they are offered.
Grassroots Community Action is desperately needed to tackle these core human rights abuses, which is why we are holding an Action on Homes Community Conference soon.
Please keep an eye on our Action on Homes Facebook Page for information when we launch the conference, agenda and speakers, very soon.