After virus hotel scheme, UK offers more help for homeless
The British government on Wednesday unveiled a £105 million plan to keep supporting thousands of homeless people given temporary hotel rooms to protect them from coronavirus.
Around 15,000 people living on the streets or at risk of sleeping rough in England were given emergency accommodation in March, as the government raced to get “Everyone In” at the start of the COVID-19 outbreak.
But many of the hotels where they were housed, which were shuttered under a nationwide stay-at-home order, are now reopening and charities warned that some people risked ending up back on streets.
The new 116 million euro ($131 million) funding would provide help with deposits for those involved to find their own accommodation, or secure alternative and immediately available rooms such as student accommodation.
The government has already announced plans to provide 6,000 supported homes for the most vulnerable, with 3,300 available in the next year, as part of a pledge to end rough sleeping altogether.
Louise Casey, who led the “Everyone In” initiative, said she wanted to build on progress made by the unprecedented effort.
“I am clear that there can now be no going back to the streets as people begin to move on from the emergency accommodation that has been put in place,” she said.
Jon Sparkes, chief executive of housing charity Crisis, said the money was a “real step forward” — but said funding alone would not guarantee safe and secure accommodation.
“In addition to this very welcome extra funding we need to see additional legislation that gives everyone at risk somewhere safe to stay,” he said. (AFP)
