Over £1m of funding to address homelessness in Worcester is welcomed, says Worcestershire charity
Worcester City Council is to get a total of £1.3m over three years as part of the Government’s Rough Sleeping Programme
A funding boost of over £1m to help those in Worcester who are rough sleeping or facing the possibility of it is "really positive", the chief executive of a Worcestershire homelessness charity has said.
It was announced last week by Worcester City Council that the authority was getting a total of £1.3m over three years.
They've been handed it as part of the Government’s Rough Sleeping Programme, with it set to work with partners in the area to "help people who are sleeping rough, or at risk of sleeping rough, access accommodation and support through a range of initiatives".
Jon Perry, the chief executive of Worcestershire charity Maggs, which has provided support to those experiencing homelessness and vulnerability across the county for over 40 years, said the funding is welcomed.
"I think it's a really positive investment in Worcester and an opportunity to strengthen the response to homelessness here," he said.
"We work really closely with Worcester City Council and we're keen to make sure that the investment is used as effectively as it can be."
On how it will help, he added: "It does give the city an opportunity to enhance the pathway for homeless people, rough sleepers and the vulnerably housed are all included in that, and they're all groups of people that need support.
"The complexity is such that just finding a roof for people is not enough, the support around those people is really important, and the complexity means that it can be quite intensive and quite complicated in itself.
"Often lots of different organisations need to be involved, and I think all the additional funding helps to increase capacity across the system."
Tackling rough sleeping an "absolute priority" for the city council - leader
This latest allocation of funding is on top of some the authority is getting through the government’s Long Term Rough Sleeper Innovation Programme.
Leader of Worcester City Council, councillor Lynn Denham, said this additional funding was "excellent news", as tackling homelessness and rough sleeping is an "absolute priority" for the council.
“This new funding will help us to further support those experiencing rough sleeping in our city," she said.
“The issues of homelessness and rough sleeping are not just about housing, and they are not challenges that the city council can solve alone.
“We are committed to working closely with our partners to deliver meaningful and lasting change for Worcester.
“This additional funding will enable our housing team to build on the local partnership working which has already been established.”
The council said the programme would include "proactive outreach work and additional accommodation options", alongside providing "intensive support so that the funding makes a lasting change".