£3.8 million awarded to Gloucestershire to permanently house rough sleepers
It will help those who were provided short term accommodation during the Covid-19 pandemic move into long-term housing
Gloucestershire has been awarded £3.8 million in government funding to provide accommodation to vulnerable people, housed during the Covid 19 pandemic.
The funding is part of the Government’s Next Steps Accommodation Programme (NSAP) which invites local authorities to apply for funding to ensure those accommodated will not return to rough sleeping and prevent others at risk, from ending up on the streets.
In Gloucestershire the money will go towards providing longer term accommodation to people who were given immediate and short term help initially.
The scheme will see around 50, one and two bedroom flats in Gloucester, Stroud, and the Forest of Dean provided to people who are homeless or have been accommodated due to Covid-19.
Ongoing support will also be provided to help those who might be struggling with a range of issues and to help them maintain their tenancies.
In addition, it will pay for employability support for a small group of people who aren’t eligible for benefits to gain employment and accommodation.
The total award includes a grant of around £300,000 from a previous NSAP fund announcement, which went towards immediate and short term help including secure hotel accommodation in Cheltenham and Gloucester, funding to enable six of Cheltenham’s council properties to be furnished and made available for rough sleepers and the continuation of an accommodation scheme in Stroud.
The Gloucestershire partnership led by Gloucester City Council, which consists of Gloucestershire County Council, Cheltenham Borough Council, Cotswold District Council, Forest of Dean District Council, Stroud District Council, and Tewkesbury Borough Council and local housing and support providers, jointly applied for funding to continue working together on the Covid-19 Emergency Accommodation Programme.
A joint statement by the leaders of the county and district councils, said: “Supporting those who are homeless is a key priority in the county and we have been able to secure this funding by excellent partnership working across the seven councils and our partners.
“This funding will continue to make a real difference to people by building on the good work that has been done and enabling them to stay in long term accommodation and to stay off the streets.”