In October the Government announced funding for innovative measures to tackle homelessness.

The Prime Minister Theresa May said:

“I want to build a country that works for everyone, not just the privileged few, based on the values of fairness and opportunity.

That means facing up to the great social injustices in our society and tackling the complex and often stubborn underlying causes which can lead to a person losing their home.

We know there is no single cause of homelessness but I am determined to do more to prevent it happening by supporting those facing challenging issues like domestic abuse, addiction, mental health issues or redundancy, whilst also being prepared to offer a safety net to catch those who might simply be struggling to get by.”

Communities Secretary Sajid Javid said:

“One person without a home is one too many, which is why we are launching this new £40 million programme to tackle homelessness and prevent it happening in the first place.

“It will fund different projects around the country, preventing people from losing their home in the first place and helping to ensure that rough sleepers have somewhere safe to stay.”

I’m pleased that Hammersmith and Fulham Council has been awarded some of these funds. The Council inform me of the following details:

“The Department for Communities and Local Government will award £603,373 for three Homeless Prevention Trailblazer projects. These are:

1.    The Transitions Project, working with Peabody to provide early intervention to prevent Youth Homelessness;  

 2.    The Under 35 and Under Occupation Links Project, to develop a web-based portal to enable under occupiers to let their spare rooms out to under 35 year olds; and  

 3.    Positive Pathways towards Private Renting Project, to work with housing associations to increase the supply of and support package within private rented accommodation.

An award of £166, 209 will be made through the Rough Sleeping Grant bid which will provide, in partnership with St Mungo’s, rapid assessment and intervention to people with substance misuse issues who are at risk of losing their tenancies and becoming rough sleepers.

A separate bid was submitted by the West London Sub-Region for the Rough Sleeping Grant, and H&F are included in this too. The total to be awarded across the sub-region is £400,000. The West London bid aims to focus on rapid intervention and an assessment building for new rough sleepers and those at risk of rough sleeping.

The GLA submitted a bid to the Social Impact Bond on behalf of a number of Boroughs, in which we are included. They were awarded £2m. There are three projects within their bid:

1.    Intensive focus on helping 350 of London’s most entrenched rough sleepers;

2.    A project to help people who have started sleeping rough in the previous three months off the streets;

3.    Money to develop a better system in which hostel spaces across London can be utilised by rough sleepers more effectively.

All money obtained through these bids is time limited until 2020. Money will be paid periodically over the next two years.”