Damien Moore MP welcomes funding to help people off the streets in SOUTHPORT

Damien Moore has welcomed the Government’s announcement that more than £25 million will be allocated to 108 areas across the country, including Sefton – 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.

Sefton is set to receive £142, 000 as part of this funding, which will provide rough sleepers with the specialist support they need to get off the streets for good. Local authorities such as Sefton 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.

Commenting, Damien Moore 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 Sefton with the support they need to get off the streets for good.

“Local authorities will be able to use the funding to develop the right support for vulnerable rough sleepers in their local areas. Sefton has put forward some innovative plans that I know will make a real difference to people’s lives, and I look forward to working with them so that no one in Sefton has to spend a night on the streets.”

Housing and Homelessness Minister Heather Wheeler MP said:

“We are taking steps to ensure people in the North West 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 the North West 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 Sefton 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.