More than £240,000 given to Northern Lincolnshire councils to help homeless people
It's to provide emergency support for homeless people
Over £240,000 has now been allocated this winter to northern Lincolnshire councils to provide emergency homeless support.
The Government has doubled its rough sleeping winter pressures funding to £60m to local authorities. The announcement follows a previous increase in January.
North East Lincolnshire Council is now getting £183,331 from the fund to help provide homeless support, up by £120,000. Neighbouring North Lincolnshire has seen its more modest cash grant triple, from £19,599 to £59,064.
A North East Lincolnshire Council spokesperson has said the extra cash will allow it to support people earlier. The latest rough sleeper winter pressures increase emphasises prevention.
The cash will be given to councils to step in early and keep people in their homes before eviction notices are served. This means fewer people reaching crisis point and ending up on the streets which will free up resources and ease demand on social services, healthcare, and emergency housing teams. Alternatively, the cash may also be used to support people off the streets into accommodation.
The increase comes as the number of people sleeping rough in England rose by a fifth in a year. According to Ministry of Housing data, there were 4,667 people sleeping on the streets on a single night last autumn.
“No one should be forced live in constant fear of losing their home and too many people are being pushed to the brink of homelessness as a direct consequence of the system we’ve inherited,” said Minister for Homelessness, Rushanara Ali. “That’s why I’m providing an extra £30 million in emergency support for councils – taking real, immediate action to stop people falling through the cracks, stay in their homes, and help them rebuild their lives.”
“We are dedicated to preventing and enabling people from having to experience homelessness and ensuring individuals and families have the support they need, providing stability, security, and a community that looks after one another,” said a North Lincolnshire Council spokesperson. “We are committed to ensuring that we keep people in their own homes wherever possible. focusing on early intervention and proactive solutions.”
A North East Lincolnshire Council spokesperson confirmed it will shortly receive the extra £119,856 to prevent rough sleeping in the borough. “The Home Options Team are working closely with local partners to carry out street outreach to identify rough sleepers and ensure support is available.
“They will also be working to put more support into place for those who are at risk of rough sleeping. This will include offering housing related support which will provide individuals with support to manage their home independently. It can include help with budgeting and pay bills, as well as support with landlords, repairs, and much more.”
“This money will allow the council to offer support to individuals earlier,” said the spokesperson, giving the opportunity to prevent evictions. “Offering support early is only possible if those needing it contact the council as soon as possible. As soon as an individual finds themselves starting to struggle with their housing situation should ring the Home Options team for help and advice. Please ring 01472 326296 for support.”
The Government’s landmark Renters’ Rights Bill remains on track to become law this year, which will abolish Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions. Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner has personally directed the Ministry of Housing to prioritise remaining departmental funds towards homelessness support.
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