Elmbridge Receives Government Funding To Tackle Rough Sleeping

Elmbridge receives 180K to reduce local homelessness

Elmbridge Borough Council announces that as part of the Government’s Rough Sleeping Initiative 2020/21 funding, we have been allocated £180K to fund projects designed to both support existing rough sleepers to come off the streets and to prevent rough sleeping in the first place.

Elmbridge is one of around 270 local authorities in England that will receive funding under this programme.

The council will work in partnership with a number of local housing providers and charities, including Elmbridge Rentstart, Transform Housing and Support and Alpha Extreme Services, to deliver a range of services to help rough sleepers and those at risk of rough sleeping. This help includes emergency ‘somewhere safe to stay’ accommodation and the additional support needed for those with complex needs.

The Government funding will help us to help vulnerable people in the borough and support us in our plans to achieve a sustained reduction in rough sleeping in Elmbridge.

Councillor Roy Green, Portfolio Holder for Housing appreciates that the Government has recognised Elmbridge’s need for additional funding:

“I believe that every man, woman and child in Elmbridge should have a home and I find it deeply troubling that we have people in the borough with no choice but to sleep rough.

The causes of rough sleeping can be complicated, but I am glad that the Government has recognised the scale of the issue in Elmbridge.

This funding will enable the council and our partner agencies to build on existing services and deliver a range of accommodation, support and interventions all designed to minimise rough sleeping”.

Cllr Green added; “We have recently published our Housing, Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy 2020-2024, which has as a key priority our intention to act to tackle rough sleeping and prevent homelessness.

Working with our partners, we aim to prevent homelessness through the provision of effective support and advice and to maximise the supply and choice of temporary and longer-term accommodation for homeless people in Elmbridge.”

The Government’s Rough Sleeping Initiative funding announcement can be viewed on their website.