Sadiq Khan announces a £10m funding boost for rough sleeping services in London, aiming to reduce street homelessness.
London: Sadiq Khan just announced a £10 million funding package. This is for rough sleeping services. The goal? To tackle street homelessness in the city.
This funding is the largest single investment in 25 years at City Hall. It’s a big deal for London.
Recent data shows a rise in rough sleeping. From July to September last year, 4,780 people were recorded sleeping rough. That’s an 18% increase from the same time in 2023.
In his re-election manifesto, Sadiq promised to end rough sleeping by 2030. He wants to do this with a Labour government.
However, he warned that things might get worse before they get better. He’s repeated this message recently.
Sadiq blames the crisis on years of underinvestment in housing and support. Critics say he’s not handling the housing crisis well. They point out that his Affordable Housing Programme has stalled.
The new funding will create ‘Ending Homelessness Hubs’. These hubs will help people sleeping rough for the first time. Professional teams will assess them and make long-term support plans.
These hubs will build on the ‘No Second Night Out’ services. St Mungo’s charity provides 24/7 support for rough sleepers in London.
Support includes reconnecting people with family, financial advice, and mental health help.
Sadiq said he’s committed to ending rough sleeping. He believes this £10 million investment will help more Londoners get off the streets.
He acknowledged that tackling rough sleeping won’t be easy. But he’s confident it can be done with strong leadership and a clear vision.
His Plan of Action on rough sleeping will be published this spring. It will focus on prevention and building a fairer London.
Emma Haddad, CEO of St Mungo’s, welcomed the mayor’s focus on preventing homelessness. She noted that the NSNO hubs have already made a big difference.
She emphasized that without safe places to stay, life chances and life expectancy drop. This investment will help address the root causes of homelessness.
Emma looks forward to working with the mayor to tackle homelessness together. There’s a lot they can achieve in the coming year.
