Funding allocated for 3,300 new homes for rough sleepers

The government has announced funding allocation for 3,300 news homes designated for rough sleepers.

The funding consists of over £150 million, which may be accessed across England for permanent accommodation provision for homeless individuals.

The homes are expected to be made available by the end of March 2021 and are part of the government’s investment of £433 million to deliver 6,000 homes for rough sleepers.

As Julie Mordin points out in her blog, homelessness rates are set to rise along with the pressure on the services that support them. The funding represents a crucial step to counteract the prevalence of homelessness expected during the winter period of this year.

Rachel Manning, in her blog, makes the case that experiencing homelessness leads to poor health outcomes – and that the pandemic has raised awareness for the living conditions associated with rough sleeping, and that there has been a positive shift in the general public’s values surrounding provision of secure and viable housing for homelessness.