Prime Minister pledges new action to eliminate homelessness and rough sleeping

Thousands of people will be prevented from falling into homelessness and sleeping rough on the streets thanks to millions of funding announced by the Prime Minister today (23 December 2019).

As part of his drive to tackle homelessness, over £260 million has been committed for local authorities to support people who are homeless or at risk of losing their homes.

The funding will empower councils across England to provide the best services for local needs, helping those experiencing homelessness in their area to improve their lives and get back on their feet.

Councils can use the funding to employ specialists to provide practical advice to vulnerable people to help ensure they are meeting their rent payments, as well as helping them to find long-term stable accommodation.

Visiting a rough sleeping shelter in London, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said:

It cannot be right in the 21st century that people are homeless or having to sleep on our streets, and this government will work tirelessly to bring this to an end.

This new funding is going to help councils provide better support to homeless people, and importantly, prevent people from becoming homeless in the first place.

But we have got to do even more, and we’re committed to expanding rough sleeping and homelessness programmes, and ensuring more integrated working between our local health and housing services.

I salute the Standard for their campaign on homelessness in London, particularly their vital work in supporting vulnerable women across the capital.

The Prime Minister has also confirmed the Cold Weather Fund will receive an additional £3 million, taking the total to £13 million, to enhance support available for rough sleepers during the winter period.

This new action forms part of a wider strategy to tackle all forms of homelessness. The government is already investing £1.2 billon to tackle homelessness, and last year introduced ambitious new legislation, the Homelessness Reduction Act to ensure people at risk of becoming homeless get help more quickly, with councils receiving funding to support them in these duties.