Blackpool North and Cleveleys MP has welcomed the Government’s announcement that more than £25 million will be allocated to 108 areas across the country, including Blackpool Council – providing vital funding to help the most vulnerable rough sleepers off the streets as part of the Conservative Government’s £100 million plan to end rough sleeping by 2027.
Mr Maynard recently spent an evening with members of the United Blackpool group, carrying out a survey of rough sleepers in Blackpool and offering food and support to those they found on the streets.
Blackpool Council is set to receive more than £100,000 as part of a new Government fund, which will provide rough sleepers with the specialist support they need to get off the streets for good. Local authorities such as Blackpool Council will use this investment to fund innovative local schemes aimed at supporting vulnerable people so they are able to get into stable accommodation where they will then receive the tailored care they need.
This will include:
- Somewhere Safe to Stay rough sleeping centres – where people on the streets can access professional help and guidance, including immediate shelter and mental health support.
- Navigator posts – specialist support workers who direct people to the services they need, such as counselling, housing advice services, mental health support or substance misuse services.
- Supported Lettings Schemes – helping people to secure tenancies in properties that they may not otherwise be able to access.
- Dedicated Local Letting Agencies – specialist agencies that support vulnerable people into affordable and stable accommodation.
Blackpool Council will receive £105,000 from the fund.
Mr Maynard said: “The Conservative Party is working hard to ensure no one has to spend a night on the streets, and this investment will provide vulnerable people in Blackpool with the support they need to get off the streets for good.
“I have seen first-hand the issues facing rough sleepers in Blackpool and remain concerned our Labour-led local authority does not understand the full picture. The work of voluntary groups like United Blackpool is invaluable. I have asked Ministers what other funding they might be able to give to support their work and will continue to fight to ensure nobody has to endure a night on the streets of our town.
“Local authorities will be able to use the funding to develop the right support for vulnerable rough sleepers in their local areas. Blackpool Council has put forward plans that I hope will make a real difference to people’s lives. I hope they will work alongside volunteers to make a real difference and I look forward to working with everyone in tackling this important issue.”
Housing and Homelessness Minister Heather Wheeler MP said: “We are taking steps to ensure people in Blackpool never have to face even one night on the streets.
“These are vulnerable people, who may be dealing with complex mental health problems or addictions and require specialist support to tackle these issues and turn their lives around.
“The funding confirmed today will ensure those sleeping on the streets in Blackpool have access to the professional help and guidance they need to get back on their feet – taking us one step closer to ending rough sleeping for good.”
This additional funding for Blackpool Council forms part of the Conservative 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 falls of almost 20 per cent in the worse-affected area. 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.