London Councils Secure £2.7m for Homeless Assistance

London councils are set to receive a portion of £2.7 million designated to aid individuals sleeping on the streets. This government funding, aimed at preventing winter fatalities, will be distributed among five areas within the capital. The north-central region, which encompasses Westminster and has the highest count of rough sleepers, is allocated nearly £1 million. In contrast, the south-west region, including Kingston, will receive the lowest amount at £156,000. Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner characterized this initiative as “immediate action,” while also noting ongoing efforts to address the fundamental causes of this crisis. The funds originate from a £10 million national emergency fund, which the government states will safeguard rough sleepers by providing access to a safe and warm bed. A spokesperson for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) confirmed that the objective is to prevent unnecessary deaths, and the allocation of funds was based on identified need. Figures released last week revealed that the number of people sleeping rough in London has increased by almost a fifth, reaching a new record high. According to the latest statistics from the Combined Homelessness and Information Network (Chain), a total of 4,780 rough sleepers were observed on the capital’s streets between July and September. One rough sleeper, who requested anonymity, stated that the demographic of individuals sleeping on the streets has changed. They remarked: “It was just addicts and alcoholics, nowadays there’s people who have gotten rent arrears and got kicked out.” Gareth, a former Welsh Guard who sleeps rough in central London’s busiest shopping districts, commented that living this way “will break you” and that obtaining help was challenging. He recounted witnessing other homeless individuals being beaten up and set on fire. He added: “It’s like a jungle out here. If you’re not a junkie, if you’re not an alcoholic, if you don’t have mental health issues, they won’t help you.” This development comes as Rayner declared that England is facing a “catastrophic emergency situation” concerning homelessness. She indicated that the government aims to address the longer-term issues contributing to the national rise in rough sleeping through the establishment of a “government taskforce.” She stated: “Bringing together ministers across government is a crucial step to tackle this crisis at its root, to ensure everyone has access to the basic right of safe, secure housing.” Mayor of London Sadiq Khan expressed that he “welcomed” the funding and reiterated his commitment to collaborate with the government, councils, and charities to end rough sleeping by 2030. He further commented: “However, there is still much more to be done. It’s shameful that rough sleeping is rising in the capital and across the country.” Francesca Albanese, from the homeless charity Crisis, cautioned that the allocated money “won’t be enough” to adequately meet the scale of the challenge as rough sleeping continues to increase. She urged the government to implement a comprehensive strategy to eradicate all forms of homelessness, including for those residing in temporary accommodation. Ms Albanese stated: “Then we will finally have a clear plan in place to fix this broken system for good.” For more content, listeners can tune into the best of BBC Radio London on Sounds and engage with BBC London on Facebook, X, and Instagram. Story ideas can be submitted via email to hello.bbclondon@bbc.co.uk. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content found on external websites. Further information regarding its approach to external linking is available.