Thousands of ‘housing units’ to be created to provide homeless with accommodation

Government says it will spend £160 million getting long-term rough sleepers off streets over next 12 months, writes Colin Drury

Homeless in London (Reuters)

Plans to provide thousands of long-term homes for vulnerable rough sleepers who have been taken off the streets during the coronavirus crisis have been unveiled.

Some 3,300 housing units will be made available in the next 12 months, said Robert Jenrick, the housing, communities and local government secretary.

Once in these new homes, he added, people would be supported by specialist staff in accessing specialist services – such as for mental health or addiction issues – while also being helped towards training and work schemes.

In a statement, Mr Jenrick said it was his aim to take all those classed as long-term homeless off the streets for good following the pandemic.

“We now have a real opportunity to deliver on this moral mission,” he said. “I’m backing this effort with £160 million to fast-track the longer-term and safe accommodation needed to ensure as few rough sleepers as possible return to the streets.”

The plan is being coordinated by the rough sleeping Covid-19 response taskforce, which helped thousands of rough sleepers across the UK to move into hotels at the height of the pandemic. They have since started to be moved out.

The £160 million spend – an advance announcement from the budget – will be supported by an extra £6 million being given to frontline homeless charities.

It is unclear if the 3,300 housing units will be new homes, rooms created in existing accommodation, or repurposed sites.

Dame Louise Casey, who leads the taskforce, said: “We want to do everything possible to ensure that vulnerable people who were sleeping rough and have come inside during this pandemic – some for the first time in a very long time – do not go back to the streets.  

“The effort so far has been immense. Councils, charities and health providers have all worked tirelessly to support some of the most vulnerable during these unprecedented times.

“We know this safe harbour is just the start – we have here an extraordinary opportunity to end rough sleeping for good.”