Essential viewing for housing officers looking for funding to tackle rough sleeping.
Rough sleeping is one of those issues where the public want and expect a quick fix. People are homeless, a roof over their head will get them off the street. “Simples” as the annoying meerkat advert would say.
Not so “simples” as Bill Thorpe from the ministry of housing explains, setting out just how much is being put into finding smart solutions to the recurring causes of homelessness and rough sleeping. Where the interventions are needed, how much is health and social interventions rather than pure economic purchasing power for housing.
How difficult can it be to find the money in a £44 billion program for housing to meet the needs of 4700 rough sleepers? Very difficult is the answer. NHS England has created a £30 million pot of money for action. Bill Thorpe’s department for Housing, Communities and Local government have identified 83 councils with high levels of rough sleeping. A series of new duties to reduce or notify authorities of homelessness risks are in place. Mayors like Andy Burnham in Manchester and Andy Street in Birmingham are promising results This presentation sets out how it is planned to work and where the money is channelled
Key information for policy makers and public managers tackling homelessness and health issues.
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