Cornwall set to receive nearly £2m to help prevent homelessness
The money being given to Cornwall Council will also go towards increasing support to homeless domestic abuse victims
Nearly £2million of funding is going towards preventing homelessness in Cornwall.
The cash being given to Cornwall Council will also go towards increasing support to homeless domestic abuse victims.
Nationally the government is dishing out over £300min 2022/23 to help local authorities deliver services, through the Homelessness Prevention Grant.
It will support households in England who are homeless or at risk of losing their home. Councils will use the funding to help them find a new home, access support for unexpected evictions and secure temporary accommodation where needed
This includes £1,735,718 for Cornwall Council as well as £48,235 to support the council to increase support to homeless domestic abuse victims following the landmark Domestic Abuse Act 2021.
Welcoming the news was St Austell and Newquay’s Member of Parliament Steve Double, who said: “The Government has made excellent progress on its commitment to end rough sleeping, with rough sleeping levels falling 37% between 2019 and 2020. The Spending Review committed a further £2 billion to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping over the next three years to build on this progress and I am pleased to see Cornwall Council substantially benefitting from this.”
“One person homeless on our streets is one too many and I look forward to seeing the new administration at Cornwall Council continue their plans to eradicate homelessness and address Cornwall’s housing crisis.”
The government says that this further funding underlines its commitment to ensure people at risk of becoming homeless, across the country, get help more quickly.
Since the Homelessness Reduction Act came into force in 2018, over 400,000 households have been successfully prevented from losing their homes or supported into settled accommodation, with rough sleeping levels falling 37% between 2019 and 2020.
Minister for Rough Sleeping, Eddie Hughes MP, said: “I have seen first-hand the devastation of those who come face to face with homelessness, and my heart goes out to anyone in this situation.
“The support we are announcing today is going directly to communities that need it most.
“It will help thousands of people across England, with councils able to prevent homelessness before it occurs and put a roof over the heads of those who have lost their homes.”
Jon Sparkes, chief executive of homelessness charity Crisis, said: “To end homelessness we need to prevent people being forced from their homes in the first place, so this funding for vital local authority services is very welcome.
“With the appalling rise in domestic abuse during lockdowns and the pandemic forcing many more into homelessness, it is especially important that councils in England will have more money to provide accommodation for survivors.”