Buckinghamshire charity backs Christmas rough sleeping plan but warns people could return to streets
The Prime Minister yesterday announced an extra hundred million pounds to help get people off the streets this winter
A Buckinghamshire homeless charity has welcomed the Government’s pledge to get rough sleepers off the streets by Christmas, but warned that more long-term investment will be needed to prevent people returning to the streets.
Andy Burnham yesterday announced an additional £102 million to provide immediate routes off the streets this winter, as part of the Prime Minister’s pledge to end rough sleeping.
The Government says the funding will help local areas provide accommodation and support for people sleeping rough, with the Prime Minister aiming to repeat the “Everyone In” approach used during the coronavirus pandemic.
James Boultbee, CEO of Wycombe Homeless Connection and Aylesbury Homeless Action Group, said the Christmas pledge could save lives.
“If you put them all up, for a few weeks, even a month, you're going to have some people that are still there at the end of it who wouldn't have been if not.”
“Nobody should be out at any time of year,” he added.
The pledge comes as figures published in February estimated that 4,793 people were sleeping rough on a single night in England in autumn 2025 – the highest figure on record and the fourth consecutive annual increase.
Boultbee said the approach used during the pandemic showed that bringing people indoors could work, but he warned that some people returned to the streets when the emergency measures ended.
“One of the slight downsides to using hotel accommodation is you've got people dispersed over all sorts of hotels,” he said.
“They haven't got close contact with support workers who are helping them think about the next steps.”
He said the same risk could apply to the Christmas initiative if there is not enough planning for what happens afterwards.
“I think the honest truth is I do worry about that,” he said.
Boultbee said charities, councils and other services needed to work together to address issues including mental health and other personal circumstances that can contribute to homelessness.
He also argued that investing in prevention could ultimately save money.
“Our figures tell us that it's 10 times cheaper to prevent somebody becoming homeless than it is to put the pieces back together again afterwards,” he said.
The Government has also announced £340 million in funding for new support to help long-term rough sleepers move into settled accommodation.
Burnham has said he will hold a national summit this autumn involving charities, businesses, health organisations, faith groups and others, with the aim of building a wider plan to end rough sleeping.