The Government has announced an extra £203 million to 210 areas across England to tackle rough sleeping and provide support for people living on the streets. 

Local MP Robert Largan has welcomed the news that Derbyshire has been allocated £674,253, and High Peak Borough Council has been allocated an additional £25,000 on top of this.

The Rough Sleeping Initiative is a key part of this mission. Across England, it will provide funding for 14,500 bed spaces and 2,700 full-time equivalent staff to deliver interventions to support those on living on the streets, as well as helping local authorities and other providers to move towards longer-term preventative support.

To date, the programme has been a success, with a 2018 impact evaluation finding that there was a 32 per cent reduction in rough sleeping in areas that received the Rough Sleeping Initiative funding in 2018/19, compared to the number it would have been had the Rough Sleeping Initiative not been in place.

During the last 12 months, the Government has taken unprecedented steps to protect rough sleepers from the pandemic. Figures published in February 2021 show that the number of people sleeping on our streets on a single night in Autumn 2020 fell by 37 per cent compared to the previous year.

The funding announcement is just one part of the £750 million that the Government will be spending this financial year on homelessness and rough sleeping, and demonstrates its continued commitment to ending rough sleeping.

Robert Largan MP commented:

“I am determined to keep the pressure on ministers to end rough sleeping. 

“Money alone is not the answer to a complex problem. We also need to bring together vital services that help people with housing needs, mental health, and addiction. 

“That is why I am pleased to support the Rough Sleeping Initiative to ensure people get a helping hand.”