Nottingham City Council was awarded just over £2m in the latest round of grants to all councils from central Government for support for rough sleeping initiatives.
The council says that the funding will be used to deliver a strategic approach to rough sleeping which involves:
- Prevention of rough sleeping through addressing causes, reasons and underlying needs
- Ensuring the swift identification of rough sleepers and promoting persistent engagement
- Flexibly and completely assessing needs, generating plans and delivering support packages
- Providing rapid-access off-the-streets shelter
- Delivering sustained and settled accommodation
Councillor Linda Woodings, Portfolio Holder for Housing, Planning and Heritage at Nottingham City Council, said: “We’re pleased with our allocation of just over £2m, which is £500,000 more than last year, but we’ve had to work hard to secure it.
“The council has to outline why it’s needed in Nottingham and what support we have in place for rough sleepers, so to have been awarded one of the largest grants outside London is good news for the city – even if we weren’t given the full amount we requested.
“As ever, we are reliant on our local partners, like Framework and Emmanuel House, to source accommodation and extend capacity within their existing services. We thank them for their continued contributions and commitment.
“However, demand is increasing in Nottingham and further pressures are expected as the impact of the pandemic filters down, specifically around financial support ending, mental health, unemployment and change in housing circumstances. As a result, more commitment is needed from Government.
“We remain committed to preventing rough sleeping. It is often a symptom of a wider problem or in more cases a combination of issues like substance dependency, mental health and trauma. We need to continue our work with partners and secure commitment across the public, community and private sectors to help address the needs that cause street homelessness.”
• More about the grants and how much each Nottinghamshire council has been awarded
• Audio: County Council leader comments on £1.2m rough sleepers support grant
