Calderdale has been awarded over £800,000 in Government funding to support rough sleepers in the borough.
Following a successful bid as part of the Next Steps Accommodation Programme (NSAP), £821,000 has been awarded to the Council to provide long-term homes for some of Calderdale’s most vulnerable residents.
Rough sleeping and homelessness is a concern every year, particularly during winter months. Calderdale Council works with partner agencies to make sure those in need are offered support.
Additional challenges have been faced this year due to the ongoing risk of COVID-19. The Council worked with Christians Together, to enable the extension of their Winter Shelter service which provides beds and hot meals for people who would otherwise be rough sleeping. The service continued beyond the usual end date of March, to provide an enhanced COVID shelter response.
Between April and the end of August this year, the Council supported 128 people who were identified as sleeping rough, or being at risk of sleeping rough, into temporary accommodation.
Following this emergency response, Calderdale Council is now working with partners to ensure that there is sustainable, long-term support for those at risk of homelessness or rough sleeping.
The NSAP funding will be used to purchase and manage 10 properties in the Halifax area in partnership with Horton Housing. Funding will also be used to appoint additional staff to support people who are in temporary accommodation to find a long-term home and assess any wider support needed.
Calderdale Council’s Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Resilience, Cllr Scott Patient, said:
“Each year, as the temperate plummets during the winter months, we provide an enhanced level of support for anyone that finds themselves sleeping rough or at risk of homelessness. This year is no exception, although we continue to face additional challenges due to the COVID pandemic.
“I’m delighted that we’ve been successful in our bid for additional funding as part of the Next Steps Accommodation Programme. It comes at a crucial time, as we continue to deal with a rise in COVID cases and we enter the difficult winter period.
“The money will be essential to help us to reduce the risk of rough sleeping. It will be used to not only provide access to safe and warm accommodation for those in desperate situations, but also support them to move on to their own homes.”
For more information about how the Council supports those at risk of homelessness or rough sleeping, visit www.calderdale.gov.uk/homeless. If you’re worried about someone you think may be sleeping rough, call 07584015756.