People who are at risk of homelessness or rough sleeping in Portsmouth will receive extra help over the next two years thanks to government funding awarded to Portsmouth City Council.
Yesterday the council also launched a consultation on a homelessness strategy that if approved will run from 2024 – 2029. If you’d like to help shape the way homelessness services are run in the city you can find out more by visiting the homelessness strategy webpage.
The council will receive £430,000 from the Rough Sleeping Initiative (RSI) Additional Targeted Funding scheme, provided by the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC).
The council already provides a range of services in Portsmouth to help support rough sleepers and those at risk of homelessness, including a day service and a rough sleeping pathway which has 105 units of supported temporary accommodation.
The additional grant, available for use until April 2025, will allow the council to continue and improve support for homeless people who live in temporary accommodation and those still sleeping rough. It will also be used to support homeless people into private rental housing and make sure they can pay their rent.
Cllr Darren Sanders, cabinet member for housing and tackling homelessness said: “As a council we are committed to tackling homelessness. We already do a lot to support people in our city who are homeless or sleeping rough, and this funding means we can help some of the most vulnerable members of our city by working with them and partner organisations to provide even more support where needed.”
During the summer residents may have noticed more people sleeping rough in the city, which is expected as the weather improves. The council has a team of people who go out in Portsmouth every day and give people who are rough sleeping any help they need, including supporting them to access accommodation.
As a city, there can be around 15 people sleeping rough at any time, but numbers may vary from night to night and there are many reasons for this. People may be temporarily homeless or have accommodation they do not want to return to; they may have just arrived in the city, or need extra help in addition to support with housing.
If you see someone that you think needs help you can go to the street link website, www.streetlink.org.uk, and let us know where they are.