Basingstoke’s MP, Maria Miller has welcomed today’s further commitment from the Government to help rough sleepers off the street for good. Communities Secretary James Brokenshire has committed £204,500 to help Basingstoke and Deane to support rough sleepers into safe and stable accommodation where they can rebuild their lives, part of a total investment figure of £46 million.
The funding will help Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council to provide vulnerable people across Basingstoke with the specialist support they need. The money will be used to help rough sleepers into accommodation, increasing existing accommodation and providing new temporary accommodation, including night shelters and hostel spaces.
Local Authorities across the country will also be able to use this funding for additional staff to provide vulnerable rough sleepers with the advice and specialist support they need to get them off the streets.
This additional funding forms part of the Government’s £100 million plan to end rough sleeping by 2027. Progress is already being made with the first fall in rough sleeping since 2010, and schemes like this will help us achieve our ambition of being a country in which no-one needs to spend a night on the streets.
Maria said: “In Basingstoke we have a very successful “the Real Change Not Loose Change” campaign, which has raised more than £40,000 since 2016 to help keep homeless people off the cold streets of Basingstoke and Deane each winter and following its success, the Social Inclusion Partnership is now building on the commitment shown by local people, businesses and organisations by launching a year-round initiative to support rough sleepers.
I welcome this much needed further funding, the government is rightly focused on providing the right support to those who have fallen on hard times, and it’s great to see more support for vulnerable people in Basingstoke to get off the streets and back on their feet.”
Communities Secretary, Rt Hon James Brokenshire MP said: “No one should ever have to face a night on the streets, and as Conservatives we are committed to ending rough sleeping for good.
“We are taking the necessary steps to make that happen, already providing 1,750 additional beds and 500 more support staff for the most vulnerable people in our society.
“But we must keep up the momentum and that’s why we are giving this funding to areas and projects that need it, ensuring progress continues to be made and people are given the help they need to turn their lives around.”